


Ripples

by a_lanart - the younger (a_lanart)



Series: The O'Niall Chronicles [17]
Category: Highlander: The Series, Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Crossover, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-06
Updated: 2010-02-06
Packaged: 2017-10-07 01:57:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 25,716
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_lanart/pseuds/a_lanart%20-%20the%20younger
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Immortals exist in the Star Trek universe and Voyager gets a surprise visitor via plot device #7.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ripples

**Author's Note:**

> This was the first fic I ever posted in public. It was formatted to be read easily on usenet, which is why it has a really short line width.

Ripples

By A Lanart

The first episode in the Voyager section of 'The O'Niall  
Chronicles'.

PG-15 for language and situation...

(There are slash overtones, so do not read if the thought of one  
guy loving another in a more than platonic fashion offends you).

Panzer/Davis and Paramount are the creators and Gods of the  
Highlander and Star Trek universes. Concepts and characters used   
without permission (I'm only borrowing them, honest. I don't make   
any profit off this, it's just for fun).  
Original characters and ideas are Mine, so is the story.

 

!Warning! This is my first story...

Otherwise we have a drop of UST, and a sprinkle of angst to  
improve the flavour.

Enjoy.

Summary:

 

Immortals exist in the Star Trek universe and Voyager gets a  
surprise visitor via plot device #7.

* * *

Peregrine dropped out of warp as they entered the Taranis  
system. Everyone had gathered on the bridge as Soraya Dawson  
said her customary Thank You.

"As usual you have all done an exemplary job in a difficult  
situation and I would like to thank you for your dedication and  
skill. It really has been a pleasure to serve with you all."  
She glanced around until her eyes fastened on a certain flame   
haired woman. "But I'm not leaving Starfleet yet Keril!" Soraya  
glared but there was barely suppressed laughter in her dark  
eyes.

"Pity!" The comment came from an unknown source on the other  
side of the bridge causing a few chuckles to break out.

"That's enough people!" Soraya was laughing out loud by now,  
"Let's get this bird home."

 

Peregrine docked at Taranis station with no problems, disgorging  
its occupants in a chattering flurry of activity. The last two  
people to debark, a young man and woman, watched the  
proceedings with wry smiles.

"They still make me laugh, Rich, even after all this time. Just  
look at them, they're like starlings." She glanced at her  
friend with a fond smile.

"Yeah, I know what you mean." He linked her arm and they moved  
off together.

"You going to stay with me while you're here Siannon? The new  
place isn't ready yet."

"Where else!" She laughed, her eyes dancing. A shout came from  
behind them,

"Hey you two, see you in Morgan's later?"

"Sure thing, Keril"

 

Morgan's bar did not fit in with the rest of the light and airy  
main atrium. It was full of dark wood and cosy corners and was  
one of the more popular places with the employees of Freedom  
Flight on the station. Most of the crew from Peregrine had taken  
over one of the corners, laughing and talking over their  
various drinks.

"Hey Siannon, what's this I hear about you moving back?" Keril  
asked. There was a general echo of her inquiry from the others.  
"Why leave Albion now?" Siannon gave one of her crooked smiles.

 

"I've been there nearly forty years, its time to move on. I  
know I've good friends there but..."

"You don't want to watch them growing old."

"Exactly." She peered into her Guinness as if she might find  
the answers to her dilemma there.

"What plans do you have?"

"Oh I'll take Merlin, spend some time with my friends at  
Kilkerrin and Nevis then move back here lock, stock and barrel.  
Rich's organising a place for me."

"If you are moving you will never have enough room for Ross on  
Merlin. I know what my family is like." K'parl spoke with  
conviction, a frown making his forehead ridges much more  
pronounced. Siannon raised an eyebrow making him choke on his  
beer.

"Who said anything about bringing Ross back," she said, "he  
can cadge a lift from someone else for a change." Everyone  
started laughing at her indignant expression.

 

Siannon cast her eyes around the empty, echoing rooms one last  
time. They seemed strange, unfamiliar and totally lacking in  
that quality that spoke of home. There was nothing personal  
left; no hangings or pictures on the wall, no cushions or rugs  
scattered around. Even the last faint scent of orange and  
cinnamon had faded from the air. Fighting back her tears she  
turned to go, picking up her last carryall. There was a small  
figure, her face all eyes, silhouetted in the doorway.

"Do you have to go? We're going to miss you terribly." Siannon  
stepped forward, taking a small hand in her own.

"Don't fret Rowan, you'll see me again." Siannon left the place  
that had been her home for over a decade hand in hand with the  
child. There was a crowd of people waiting near Merlin. Siannon  
sighed, she hated good-byes. One man came to meet her ahead of  
the others and gave her a quick, hard hug.

"Everything's in and secure, Siannon. I'll see you in a few  
weeks." She hugged him back.

"Thanks Ross, see you soon." He pushed her gently toward the  
others.

"Go on, they're waiting." He gave her shoulder one last  
squeeze. She was then inundated with hugs, kisses, tears,  
admonishments not to forget them and the inevitable useful  
advice.

Eventually everyone had said their good-byes and the only dry  
eyes belonged to Sorell, K'parl's aunt, who was half Vulcan and  
her eldest daughter Kayleigh. As Siannon went to board Merlin  
she turned and gave them all a wave and a blown kiss.

It was the last she saw of them.

 

Crossing Akkarran space part way into her journey she somehow  
managed to get involved in a skirmish between two of the  
Akkarran factions. Cursing herself for forgetting how volatile  
the Akkarrans were, she high-tailed it out of there, trying to  
keep Merlin intact, under fire and with the Akkarrans in close  
pursuit. Flying as much by instinct as anything else she was  
managing to pull away when there was a sudden flash. A wormhole   
opened up right in front of her and swallowed Merlin whole  
before slamming shut behind her.

"Shit! There shouldn't *be* a wormhole there!" Siannon's hands  
danced over the console as she fought to bring Merlin back  
under control. _ She frantically tried to do something, Anything, to  
extricate herself- all to no avail. She was snarling, a habit  
picked up from her half Klingon friends, as she finally managed  
to wrestle the ship into controlled flight. Taking a deep breath  
she resigned herself to going wherever the wormhole took her.  
&lt;..Another voyage into the unknown, just like sainted  
Brendan..&gt; Several sleepless hours later she was getting  
nervous. After checking and rechecking her readings she still  
came up with the same conclusion._

"Ah shit! The frigging thing's collapsing. By Lir's hairy ass,  
why me?" She continued cursing even as she increased speed,  
diverting auxiliary power to the engines. Siannon knew that she  
would not survive a wormhole collapse. She needed more power.  
Strapping herself into her seat, she barked a command at the  
computer. "Computer; divert all power to engines, code omega  
zero one"

"Warning; shields...off-line, Inertial dampers..off-line,  
secondary life support..off-line, primary life support..."  
Siannon gave only half an ear to the litany as she brought  
Merlin up to its maximum possible speed repeating a Mantra of  
her own,

"More time, more time, I need more time." As the air ran out  
the only sound was Siannon tryingto breath shallowly. Collapse  
was imminent. The darkened, blind ship screamed towards the  
event horizon as the wormhole finally imploded.

 

It was a quiet day on the bridge of Voyager, for a change.

"Captain, I'm picking up evidence of a wormhole in the  
vicinity. I'm afraid I can't tell how large it is or whether  
it's stable at this distance" Harry Kim spoke up from the Ops   
station. "I think it warrants further investigation."

"Agreed; transfer co-ordinates to the helm." Janeway sat up  
straighter. A wormhole! &lt;..Maybe this time...&gt; She gave  
herself a mental shake, no time for that now. She glanced over  
to the helm.

"Mr. Paris, set course for the wormhole, warp seven."

"Aye Captain, course laid in."

"Engage."

Harry Kim was scanning the wormhole as soon as Voyager dropped  
out of warp. He was not very happy about what the scans were  
showing him.

"Captain, the wormhole appears to be unstable. In fact it looks  
to be on the verge of collapse." He managed to keep his  
disappointment from colouring his voice. "If we maintain our  
position we will be safe from the distortion wave."

"On screen." The wormhole was a large one.

"I'm picking up some unusual readings, Captain." Harry bent  
over his console, working quickly for a few minutes before he  
looked up in disbelief.

"There's a ship in there and I don't know if its going to make  
it out." Total silence met this pronouncement, all eyes were  
fixed on the view screen. The wormhole began to collapse, all  
coruscating colours. As it imploded a small ship hurtled out to  
just miss being smashed by the distortion wave.

"They're running blind!" Harry exclaimed in hushed tones. The  
ship shuddered to a halt. Janeway rose and moved toward the  
screen.

"It has an Alpha quadrant warp signature. I also detect one  
lifesign, Captain." Tuvok said.

"Take us closer, Mr. Paris." Janeway stood with one hand on Tom  
Paris' shoulder. "Hail them."

"Hailing frequencies open."

 

Merlin was shuddering and shaking around Siannon. She sat  
gasping for breath, holding onto consciousness by a  
thread.&lt;..Stay together Merlin, please don't break up on me  
now..&gt; The thought was a prayer. Suddenly she was surrounded by  
clean, beautiful starlight. &lt;..I've made it!..&gt; She had trouble  
believing it but retained the presence of mind to cut the  
engines and managed to croak out,

"Computer; restore normal function" before losing her  
precarious hold on consciousness. She was brought back to  
reality by the insistent chirp of her comm. channel. She opened   
the audio channel.

"Unidentified ship, this is Captain Kathryn Janeway of the  
Federation Starship Voyager. Do you need assistance?" The  
woman's voice was precise, commanding. &lt;..So this is where  
Voyager ended up, wherever *this* is..&gt; Siannon cleared her  
throat experimentally and took a couple of deep breaths before  
activating visuals for a reply. &lt;..Gods only know what I must  
look like..&gt;

 

"They're responding, Captain."

"On screen." The viewscreen cleared to show a human woman, the  
dark hair curling around her face and shoulders in total  
disarray, green eyes looking somewhat pinched and wild, the  
pallor of her face heightened by the livid bruise on one cheek.  
Her voice was slightly hoarse.

"I am Officer Siannon O'Niall of Freedom Flight ship Merlin.  
Er... where are we ?" Janeway had to smile,

"Welcome to the Delta Quadrant, Officer."

"The *Delta* quadrant? Dagda's Balls!" The woman flushed  
slightly, as if realising she had made her exclamation aloud.  
"Captain, permission to bring Merlin aboard?"

"Permission granted. Come about and we will tractor you into  
the shuttlebay. Janeway out." The screen showed the small,  
sleek ship engaging its thrusters and moving off. Janeway   
turned back to look at her bridge crew with a small smile. "I  
think it is time to go and greet our visitor from the alpha  
quadrant. Mr. Kim I want everything you can find on Freedom  
Flight. Chakotay, Tuvok, you're with me. Mr. Paris, you have  
the bridge."

"Yes Ma'am!" Janeway, Chakotay and Tuvok strode off the bridge.  
Once the turbolift doors had closed Tom Paris turned to the ops  
station with an air of puzzlement.

"What's all this 'Freedom Flight' stuff, Harry?" he asked,  
"Give a little here would you, I hate being left in the dark."  
Harry chuckled slightly at that.

"Well basically Freedom Flight is a subsidiary of Amico."

"Amico as in the Taranis shipyards?"

"Yeah, that's them. Anyway Freedom Flight is a strictly neutral  
humanitarian courier and freight company. This ship - Merlin -  
must be the smallest ship of the lot" Harry looked back down at  
his console.

"Right. It'll be good to have some new company though" Tom was  
smirking.

"What! Aren't we good enough for you any more, Tom?" Harry's  
'hurt little boy' look was spoilt by the fact that he could not  
keep the smile from his eyes.

"Now Harry, I was just wondering if she played pool." They both  
laughed.

 

In the turbolift Janeway contacted Kes to meet them in the  
shuttlebay. She looked at both her senior officers and sighed.

 

"I really don't know if this is a good or a bad thing,  
gentlemen."

"How so, Captain?" Tuvok was unperturbed as always.

"You feel the appearance of someone from the alpha quadrant may  
remind the crew of what they've lost?"

"It's not only that, Chakotay. Will it make the crew forget how  
much they've gained? Siannon O'Niall is a stone that has been  
thrown into our pool - we've just got to see which way the  
ripples dissipate."

 

Kes met them just outside the shuttlebay, medkit in hand. Merlin  
had just settled to the floor as they entered and was now  
powering down. Siannon stepped out shortly after, still looking  
dishevelled although she had calmed some of the wildness from  
her hair by fastening it at the nape of her neck, which made  
the lack of bruising on her face very obvious. Janeway noticed  
the lack of trauma immediately, choosing to say nothing for the  
time being but decided to mention it later. She stepped  
forward, smiling and offered Siannon her hand,

"I'm Kathryn Janeway, this is my first officer, Commander  
Chakotay and tactical officer, Lieutenant Tuvok. Welcome  
aboard." The handshake was a firm one, despite Siannon's obvious  
fatigue. Kes, meanwhile, had started scanning with her  
tricorder.

"You don't need to bother with that, I'm perfectly all right."  
Siannon looked irritated as Kes continued her scan.

"You have been through a traumatic time, I just need to check  
you're not hurt."

"No really, I'm *All Right*," Siannon pushed Kes' arm away,  
glaring at her. Janeway stepped forward as Kes checked her  
tricorder.

"Kes...."

"Actually Captain, she's right. Apart from some mildly  
decreased seratonin levels she's in perfect health." Siannon  
rolled her eyes. &lt;..Finally..&gt; Kes regarded Siannon with a  
curious stare before turning her attention to Janeway.

"I would like to check over these readings with the Doctor,  
Captain." She nodded and left the shuttlebay.

"You seem to have been a very lucky woman, Ms O'Niall. Fast  
healer too, I see." Janeway appraised Siannon with a cool gaze.  
Siannon glanced at her feet and shuffled uncomfortably before  
looking back at the three officers.

"Actually, it isn't that simple. I would be pleased to explain,  
if I could just get cleaned up first?" She self consciously  
rubbed at her crumpled, filthy jumpsuit.

"Of course; Commander Chakotay will escort you to your quarters  
when you are ready. There will be a staff meeting in two hours.  
Tuvok?" Janeway and Tuvok left together. Chakotay looked at  
Siannon. Siannon looked at Chakotay and shrugged.

"I'll just grab a few things now if the rest of my stuff could  
be transported later?" Chakotay raised an eyebrow, Siannon felt  
embarrassed. "There is rather an awful lot, I was moving  
house...." Chakotay gave her quick, reassuring smile.

"I'll organise it myself. Now, after you." He gestured toward  
Merlin.

 

He followed Siannon into the ship, eyes darting everywhere,  
Merlin was beautifully put together. He stopped to wait outside  
the two cabins, Siannon having disappeared into one of them.

"Oh come on in, Commander, I don't bite." He crossed the  
threshold into the room to find Siannon busy unfastening the  
security webbing that held some items stationary on the bunk.   
Chakotay was curious.

"What are those?"

"Clairsach," she answered. He looked non the wiser, so she  
elaborated.

"Celtic style harps and yes, I do play. In fact many of these"  
she gestured at the boxes in the cabin "are instruments, I'm  
something of a collector." She finished stacking the cases off  
the bunk with the other boxes. "I'll go and get my bag and then  
I'm ready." Siannon dived into the other cabin and emerged with  
her carryall.

"Lead on Commander!" Chakotay escorted her to quarters,  
explaining the layout of the ship as they went and briefly  
showing her round the new rooms.

"The Captain will want to debrief you in the staff meeting, I  
will let you know when. Meanwhile, make yourself comfortable  
and I will arrange the transport of your belongings."

"Commander, most of what is in the hold is either foodstuffs or  
seedlings and the like. I don't suppose you could find  
somewhere more appropriate then my quarters for it?"

"No problem, we have an airponics bay, I'll deal with that as  
well."

"Thanks, Commander, you've been a great help."

"You're welcome." Chakotay smiled again and shook her hand,  
noticing how white her skin looked against his own, "I'll see  
you later." He turned and left.

 

Siannon examined her new home. Albion or Amico HQ it certainly  
was not but conversely it was also much bigger than the  
shipboard accommodations she was used to. Decorated in   
Starfleet regulation shades with regulation furniture, the  
quarters were functional, albeit uninspiring. She decided to do  
something about that as soon as maybe. She engaged the privacy  
lock, rummaged in her carryall for clean clothes, stripped off  
the rumpled, bloodstained jumpsuit, shoved it into the fresher  
and stalked to the bathroom. She glanced in the mirror on her  
way past. As usual, her body bore no signs of the recent crisis.  
Standing in the shower under the hot jet of water she finally  
relaxed, letting her tension drain away with the water. &lt;..The  
delta quadrant. What a turn up for the books..&gt; Siannon laughed  
softly to herself. Sometime later on she emerged from the  
bathroom in much better spirits, humming under her breath as  
she towelled her hair. The comm. beeped.

"Transporter room two to O'Niall."

"O'Niall here,"

"We are ready to transport your belongings. Standby."

"Acknowledged." She watched as all her bags, boxes and cases  
materialised, giving a quick visual inventory. "O'Niall to  
transporter room two, I've got everything safely. O'Niall out."

Siannon rapidly pulled on her clean clothes, conservative,  
comfortable pants and tunic in dark green and finished drying  
her hair, leaving it loose for the time being. She unpacked her  
clothes in short order, deciding to leave her rugs and other  
accessories until later. She moved them into the sleeping area  
to give herself more space in the main area, just managing to  
keep the bed free. She surveyed the cases in the main area and  
moved toward one of the largest, the wire stung clairsach.  
Stripping off the outer case, she moved it carefully over to a  
chair where she eased the harp out of its soft, inner cover.  
Running her hands over the carved wood of the frame she felt  
the knotwork and triskeles under her fingertips and spoke  
softly,

"I've missed you." Settling herself into the chair she retuned  
the harp, running a few practice arpeggios and trills, once she  
was satisfied with the pitch, to loosen her fingers, listening  
to the wistful, bell like quality of the notes. She moved from  
practice runs to actual pieces of music, each flowing into the  
next, losing herself completely in the spell the music wove,  
feeling at once both grounded and uplifted.

 

Chakotay arrived at her door at this point, to accompany Siannon  
to the conference room. He stopped and listened transfixed for  
a short while before pressing the chime.

"Come in," She called but did not stop playing. Chakotay  
entered and watched Siannon as she played the last few bars.  
Finally, she stilled the strings with her fingers and smiled  
beatifically.

"That was wonderful," Chakotay said.

"I needed it. I've been too long without music." She moved the  
harp gently to one side.

"What was it called?"

"The last piece was 'Inish Dubh', the Black Isle. Its an Irish  
lament. Do you like music, Commander?"

"Oh I enjoy listening to music but I don't play, although a  
fair number of the crew do play instruments. In fact one of our  
bridge officers, Ensign Kim, who you'll be meeting shortly  
plays the clarinet. I came by to escort you to the briefing room  
for the meeting." Siannon dug around for her shoes, pulling  
them on she looked up at Chakotay, indicating she was ready to  
go. They left the room together.

 

Siannon searched the faces of the officers in the briefing room  
and felt a tug of recognition when her gaze touched on Tom  
Paris. She knew him, but from where? She let the memory go  
knowing it would surface in its own time.

"Please come in Ms O'Niall, sit down" Janeway gestured at the  
empty chairs.

"Thank you Captain, but please call me Siannon, all of you. Ms.  
O'Niall has me looking over my shoulder for somebody else." She  
smiled, glancing round the room again and took a seat next to  
Harry Kim. Janeway introduced her officers, including the  
holographic doctor, while Siannon put names to faces and filed  
the information in her memory. Then she began the story of why  
Voyager was so far from home, explaining how they had become  
one crew, before asking Siannon for her story. Siannon told them   
about leaving Albion, the Akkarrans and the wormhole, answering  
questions from various people.

"One thing I've been wondering about," Harry said, "Is why you  
were flying blind when you came out?" There were murmurs of  
agreement from around the table.

"I took every thing off line to give more power to the  
engines." Siannon stated matter of factly, as if it was an  
every day occurrence.

"Everything?" B'Elanna Torres was sceptical to say the least,  
"What about shields, life support?...."

"Everything." Siannon paused. "For half an hour." The  
conference room erupted into questioning exclamations of  
disbelief, until Janeway banged on the table.

"Enough! Would this have anything to do with your vanishing  
facial trauma and Kes' scan results, by any chance? You did say  
you would explain." She leaned back in her seat, throwing a  
coolly appraising glance at Siannon, who was avoiding eye  
contact.

"It's a bit complicated." Siannon reached into a pocket drawing  
out a cloth wrapped bundle which she unwound to reveal a small  
throwing knife. "I am a genetic anomaly." Picking up the  
knife, she slashed the palm of her left hand deeply, flinching  
slightly from the pain. Blood dripped onto the cloth for a few  
seconds and then stopped. She wiped the blood off her hand.  
There was no mark.

"Some people call me immortal. I heal quickly, I do not age and  
I cannot die except by decapitation or very high power phaser  
fire." She grinned, "And collapsing wormholes of course."  
Everyone at the table was stunned, with the exception of Tuvok  
as usual.

"May I inquire as to how old you are?" he asked. Siannon  
chuckled.&lt;..Curious as cats, Vulcans. Never met one who  
wasn't..&gt; She decided to give him an answer of sorts.

"Lieutenant Tuvok, it's considered impolite to ask a lady her  
age." This caused a few smiles, although they were a little  
strained.

"I apologise if I have caused offence, Siannon."

"Apology accepted." She turned to Janeway, "Captain, do you  
have all the standard security files from Starfleet?" The  
Captain flashed a look at Tuvok, who nodded almost  
imperceptibly.

"Yes, I believe we do," she replied.

"In that case, there is a file which should enlighten things a  
bit more although I would prefer it to be available to only  
Commander Chakotay and yourself for now. Computer; access   
security file 'Dawson one eleven alpha'."

"Working. Please state clearance code."

"Raptor three zero six eight two lambda. Place under voice  
activation only for Captain Janeway, Commander Chakotay and  
Siannon O'Niall."

"File Dawson one eleven alpha now available on voice activation  
only."

"I presume by the file name that Jarresh and Soraya Dawson know  
about you?"

"Yes they do. I'm actually quite friendly with Soraya, we go a  
long way back." Siannon flicked a quick glance at Harry next to  
her and had to suppress a grin at his obvious discomfort. She  
leaned forward, steepling her fingers. "But I don't think that's  
particularly relevant now. I'm here in the same situation as   
all of you and what I'd like to do is work with you until we get  
back home, which is why I told you about my. . . differences. I  
don't think it would be fair to try and maintain a good working  
relationship with you while concealing something so important to  
all of us." Relaxing back in her seat she ran a hand through  
her hair, listening to the continuing ebb and flow of  
conversation around her. Raising her head she found herself  
gazing into a pair of startlingly blue eyes in a thoughtful  
face. Eyes just like...&lt;..Bingo..&gt;

She had it now, that elusive memory of Tom Paris which had been  
gnawing at her since she set eyes on him.

 

She had been wandering around an exhibition, 'History Lives  
Through Music' where she was displaying and demonstrating some  
of her own instruments, when she spotted a familiar red-gold  
head. Catching up to her friend, she noticed that Rian had a  
small boy with her. Siannon enveloped Rian in a hug,

"Rian, its good to see you and who is this handsome young man?"

"Oh, this is my nephew,Thomas." Rian drew the boy forward to  
stand in front of her, "My *brother's* son." The latter was  
said with real contempt. Gently, she pushed the boy forward.

"Tommy, this is a good friend of mine, Siannon." The boy looked  
at his aunt thoughtfully.

"Is this *another* secret?" he asked.

"Yes," Rian said. He turned back to Siannon, who had hunkered  
down to his level and gave her a brilliant smile that lit his  
whole face.

"In that case, its really nice to meet you, Siannon," he said  
regarding her with a pair of startlingly blue eyes.&lt;..Damn me,  
but he's going to be a heart breaker when he's older..&gt;

Staring into the same eyes, years later, she wondered if that  
thought was true. She remembered Rian explaining to her why she  
met the boy in secret, that her name had not always been 'Rian  
Lewis' (though she never did say what it used to be), that he  
was the only link to a family with whom she had severed all  
ties and that time spent with him was therefore very precious  
as it was time stolen from the monotony of their every day   
lives. She had even given Siannon snippets of information about  
her nephew in their regular contacts, right up to the time he  
had entered Starfleet Academy. Siannon, however had never seen  
him again. Until now.

 

Siannon started at the touch of a hand on her arm. It was Harry  
Kim, concern very evident in his dark eyes.

"Are you all right? You look awfully pale." Conversation had  
ceased completely. She gathered the tattered remnants of her  
composure around herself, like a cloak.

"Yes, thank you. I'm just a little tired and hungry. I'm afraid  
I was wool-gathering." She flashed a conspiratorial grin at  
Harry, who grinned back. "If I could just go and get something  
to eat?" Janeway stood up.

"Of course you must. In fact, call it a day now. We can finish  
our discussion tomorrow." She gestured at Tom Paris, "Mr. Paris  
has finished his shift, I'm sure he will escort you to the mess  
hall." Tom shot the Captain an unfathomable glance, which she  
fortunately did not notice and stood up.

"With pleasure, after you Siannon." He indicated the door.

In the turbo lift he leaned against the wall, folding his arms.

"I know this sounds stupid but you are a dead ringer for  
someone I met when I was a kid. Even the name's the same." He  
gave a crooked smile.

"I didn't know if you'd remembered," Siannon said softly.

"But that was over twenty years ago! You look exactly the same."

"And what was I saying before ?"

"That you don't.....Oh yeah....How old did you say you were?"  
He grinned, the cocky 'flyboy' persona firmly back in place.

"I didn't."

"You know you can tell me, after all we are old friends." Tom  
gestured expansively.

"Believe me, you don't want to know."

"Oh really ?" His gaze was challenging.

"Really."

"Oh I don't know, I think I can handle it." The turbo lift came  
to a halt. Siannon moved first as the doors opened.

"Two thousand," she flung back over her shoulder as she strode  
off down the corridor. Tom was incredulous.

"Two *thousand*!" He stopped dead. "I don't believe it!" He  
then noticed that Siannon had gone and ran after her. "Hey  
Siannon, wait up will ya!" Rounding the corner he almost mowed  
her down. She was leaning against the corridor wall with a very  
irreverent grin plastered on her face.

"I told you you didn't want to know."

"Maybe you were right. Are you serious?"

"One hundred percent." &lt;..Shit..&gt; Tom was speechless, for a  
change. He felt as if his brain had just gone on vacation  
without telling him when it would be back.

"Tom?"

"Mm."

"Never mind, lets go and eat." Tom managed to gather his  
scattered wits together as they carried on walking down the  
corridor.

"You might not want to eat once you've seen what Neelix has to  
offer," Tom said, grinning. "It's a well known fact that he's  
been trying to poison us since he joined the ship."

"I'll take my chances."

 

They shared a companionable silence over the green and orange  
gloop that was dinner and the cerise and violet confection that  
was desert. Tom's usual banter was conspicuous by its absence  
as he stared at his food while not really noticing what he was  
eating, a trick learned over many months of eating Neelix's  
cooking, although that days colourful offering tasted quite  
reasonable. All signs of his cocky grin were gone to be replaced  
by a puzzled frown as he struggled against his personal demons  
and the instinctive trust he had of the woman sitting  
opposite, trust not being a feeling that came easily to Tom. He  
was musing that he had not instinctively trusted anyone since  
Harry first came into his life, which was a very disconcerting  
feeling. Siannon left him to his silent deliberations,  
recognising the need. He continued to eat, lost in thought,  
until he finally looked up to find Siannon watching him with a  
faint smile hovering around her lips. He put down his spoon.

"Tell me something, Siannon. How do you go on? Generation after  
generation losing friends and what family you make for  
yourself. Just how?" Her smile disappeared and her eyes darkened.

"Sometimes you don't," she whispered, her voice thick.

"Oh God, I'm sorry Siannon. I didn't mean....."

"It's not your fault," she interrupted, "I guess I'm just  
overwrought." She pushed her half finished desert away. "Look,  
I've got to go and unpack. Care to help?"

"Umm yeah, sure." Tom gathered up the dishes and shoved them  
into the reclimator, not meeting her eyes. He had recovered his  
composure enough to start making teasing remarks about Siannon  
looking good for her age when they reached her quarters. The  
door swooshed open.

"I don't believe it! I mean I know you wanted help unpacking  
but.... a *harp* ?"

"Three harps."

"*Three* harps?"

"And two guitars. And a violin. And...."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute. This is all yours?"

"Yep."

"And you play them all?"

"With varying talent, yes."

"Bloody hell. Harry'd have a cat."

"And you aren't?" Tom had to laugh at that.

"Come in, Tom and help me unpack."

 

They had most of the instruments unpacked and the cases folded  
flat for storage when Tom discovered the keyboard. Siannon was  
sitting on the sofa with a guitar, idly playing something   
bluesy when she noticed she had an accompaniment. She stared at  
Tom.

"You didn't tell me you played." Tom looked sheepish.

"I don't much. I mean I had lessons and all that when I was a  
kid but since then," he shrugged, "I sometimes play in  
Sandrine's but that's about it. When I found this I couldn't  
resist picking it up. Besides, I've always liked the blues." Tom  
carried on playing, tentatively at first but gaining in  
confidence as he continued. After a while they started trading  
songs.

"Do you know this one?" or "How about this?" Was punctuated by  
snatches of songs, mostly from the twentieth century, a period  
with which they were both familiar. They had both collapsed  
into fits of giggles after an extremely mutilated rendition of  
'Bohemian Rhapsody' when the door chimed.

"Come in." Harry Kim walked in, then stopped, dead, eyes wide.

"Dear God," he breathed, his eyes searching the room, touching  
on every instrument, which was when he noticed Tom sitting on  
the floor with the keyboard. "You didn't tell *me* you played."  
He felt a bit hurt that Tom had not shared this with him. Tom  
shrugged.

"You didn't ask. Anyway at least this way I get to surprise you  
for a change." He smiled brightly at Harry, who moved slowly  
into the room touching, almost caressing the instruments as he  
passed.

"This is just so..." He was at a loss for words.

"Surprising? Overwhelming?" Siannon grinned at Harry, who  
recovered enough to flash a grin back at her.

"Yeah, well, you could say that. These are all so beautiful, do  
you play them all?"

"I can, yes."

"You don't play the clarinet do you?"

"The clarinet? Oh yes, Commander Chakotay mentioned you played.  
No I don't."

"I don't know whether to be disappointed or relieved!" Siannon  
wriggled in her seat so she could put the guitar down gently.

"What can I do for you Harry? You didn't come here to talk  
music."

"Actually I wanted to know if you'd like to come to Sandrine's  
with Tom and me, only Tom seems to have forgotten."

"Sandrine's? That's the second time I've heard the name  
mentioned."

"Its a holoprogram of mine, a bar in Marseilles. I'm sorry  
Harry, I completely forgot."

"If you let me beat you at pool I might forgive you."

"How about if I beat him at pool?" Siannon's green eyes were  
twinkling in glee. She had enjoyed playing pool for centuries,  
courtesy of a friends 'misspent youth'.

"Now *that* is a challenge I can't refuse." Tom put the  
keyboard down and heaved himself up of the floor, grimacing  
slightly. He realised he should have known better than to sit   
on the floor but it had seemed like a good idea at the time.  
What made it worse was that Harry was laughing at him.

"Getting too old for the floor, Tom? C'mon, let's go."

 

The trio made their way to the holodeck chatting about  
inconsequentialities, each of them inwardly surprised at how  
easily the conversation flowed. It was almost as if they had  
known each other for months, rather than hours which both  
puzzled and concerned Harry. He was used to choosing his own  
friends in spite of what other people thought of them which was  
why he was so close to Tom. Friendship offered genuinely would  
always be reciprocated as he seemed to be able to sense who was  
sincere and Siannon was not setting off his alarms. Tom, on the  
other hand, if he wasn't flirting, was at best defensive and at  
worst downright hostile when meeting strangers. The easy and  
open acceptance of Siannon was so totally unlike Tom's usual  
reactions that Harry was somewhat disconcerted to say the least.  
He resolved to quiz Tom about it later.

 

When they arrived at the holodeck Tom opened the doors with a  
flourish.

"Welcome to Sandrine's, Siannon. The pool table awaits." In  
actual fact the pool table was occupied by the latest game in  
the engineering v stellar cartography match so they found a   
table and ordered some drinks. B'Elanna Torres joined them in  
short order looking decidedly smug.

"I take it engineering is winning?" Harry asked.

"Oh we're not just winning, we're wiping the floor with them.  
The only one in cartography who could cause an upset now is  
Javorkha and she's not playing 'til tomorrow." She slid into a  
spare chair. "Good to see you here Siannon, its probably the  
best place to meet everyone. I hope these two reprobates  
haven't corrupted you yet." She punctuated this with a playful   
punch to Tom's arm. He flinched.

"And who are you calling a reprobate, Maquis?" Harry growled.

"Ha, don't forget Starfleet, I know you. Under that 'innocent  
young Ensign' look you're as bad as he is." She indicated Tom  
with a toss of her head. Tom burst out laughing.

"You've been rumbled Harry!" Siannon noticed the pool table had  
cleared and leaned over to get Tom's attention.

"Prepare to meet thy doom," she intoned gravely.

"Oh I don't think so, I'm pretty good you know."

"So am I."

"Best of three?"

"Sounds good." Tom and Siannon moved off towards the pool table  
together. B'Elanna followed them.

"This I've got to see," was her parting shot to Harry.

 

The first two games were fiercely contended, Siannon won the  
first, Tom the second. By the third game they had drawn quite a  
crowd, including Janeway and Chakotay. Tom was grinning like a  
Cheshire Cat, Siannon was wearing her best poker face.

"You ain't seen nothing yet," she warned. Tom carried on  
grinning and promptly messed up his break. The grin started to  
falter. By the time Siannon had cleared the table without Tom  
getting a look in, he was almost open mouthed in astonishment.

"You sure weren't kidding when you said you were good were you?"

"Unfair advantage I suppose, I've been playing pool far longer  
than you've been alive." Siannon put her cue back in the rack.  
"I'm going to have a few words with the Captain."

 

Tom wandered back to the table to find Harry on his own, with  
drinks for the two of them.

"Am I forgiven then?" He indicated the drinks.

"Yeah, I suppose you are." Harry grinned at him, "Come on, sit  
down." Tom scraped a chair back and slid bonelessly into it.

"Well today certainly livened up didn't it? What with  
collapsing wormholes and two thousand year old women, its all  
too weird."

"Well you know what the Captain says."

"'Weird is part of the job'" They chorused, laughing.

"Yeah, I know. Even so...."

"What do you mean 'two thousand year old women'?" Harry  
interrupted as Tom's comment finally registered.

"I thought that would be obvious."

"Siannon's two *thousand*?"

"That's what she said."

"I don't believe it!"

"That's what I said."

"Oh. Was she serious?"

"Yeah. I asked her that as well."

"Shit."

"That's what I thought. Pathetic isn't it? Here we are with a  
friendly, talented, attractive woman new on board and all we can  
think about is her age." Tom grinned at Harry, Harry grinned  
back and the next thing they were both laughing hysterically.

"Tom, you are unbelievable," Harry gasped out, wiping his eyes,  
grinning fit to split his face.

"I aim to please." Harry picked up his drink and stared at  
it.&lt;..Well its now or never I suppose..&gt;

"You know, you seem to be pretty cosy with Siannon."

"Meaning what, exactly?" Tom's eyes became steely though his  
expression did not change.

"Well its not like you. I mean I'm used to you flirting with  
everything female in sight but to just accept her, to actually  
become friends in such a short time... its not something you've  
done......"

"Since Deep Space nine."

"What?"

"Remember Quark's, Harry? And the mess hall? And Mr. Harry 'I  
don't need anyone to choose my friends for me' Kim. That was  
the last time I made a friend this quickly."

"Oh."

"Trust Harry. It's not something I'm particularly good at but  
occasionally it's...instinctive. Like with you and now Siannon.  
Although with Siannon its not only that." Tom paused, looking   
uncomfortable. He hadn't meant to open up this much but it was  
too late to go back now &lt;..Oh what the hell, I'm not going to  
lose anything. It's *Harry* for God's sake..&gt; He took a swig of  
his drink, gazed into Harry's dark eyes.

"Go on," Harry whispered, trying not to break the strange  
intensity of the moment.

"I met her once when I was a kid. Remember I told you about my  
aunt?"

"Rian 'Do what you want, not what you ought' Lewis. The one who  
disowned your family?"

"Except me, yeah that's her. Anyway we used to meet in secret,  
not even Mom knew when. It was just the two of us, secret and  
precious. She always said it was so I had a good influence as  
well as a bad one." He gave a rueful sigh, "My dad. They never  
got on apparently, nobody really knows why, she's a lot younger  
than him and God knows he can be cruel, whether he means to or  
not. Anyway, one day we were out together and we met Siannon,  
she obviously knew Rian. I asked if that was to be a secret as  
well and Rian said yes. I knew then that for some reason that  
day and that meeting would be special. And now.....Now it's like  
I've found a reconnection to my past. To who I was before all  
the shit started happening. It's frightening and enlightening  
at the same time... Hey Harry, are you sure this is synthehol?"

"Yeah, why?"

"'Cause I can't believe I just told you all that sober. It  
shows how much I trust you." Harry smiled gently leaning over  
to give Tom's arm a squeeze.

"That's what friends are for Tom, don't you forget it." Tom  
flashed an uncertain smile at Harry.

"Thanks. Look I'm going to turn in before I fry my brain." Tom  
pushed back his chair, stood behind Harry for a moment with a  
hand on his shoulder.

"You're a good friend Harry. The best. Thanks for putting up  
with me." Then he was gone, like dust in the wind.

 

Harry tipped his chair back and put his feet on the table. He  
gave a low whistle. Sometimes Tom never ceased to amaze him and  
he actually knew what was under the impudent, arrogant and  
prickly exterior. He supposed the old adage was true 'still   
waters run deep'. Underneath Tom's flashy surface, like the  
reflective surface of water, was a whole different world. Harry  
stayed where he was, rocking back on his chair, thinking about  
his friends. Even now, after well over a year in the delta   
quadrant, he still only had two really close friends, Tom and  
B'Elanna, maybe now he was going to get a third. Still deep in  
thought he nearly fell out of his chair when he felt a hand on  
his arm. The chair landed back on all four legs with a clatter   
as Harry jerked in surprise.

 

"I'm sorry Harry, I didn't mean to startle you."

"Siannon! Please don't sneak up on me like that." Harry peered  
at her. "Are you okay?"

"*I'm* fine but I just saw Tom high-tail it out of here. He  
looked kind of...distracted, I suppose. What were you two  
talking about?"

"Me and you. Friendship and trust. You know. Actually, I think  
it got too much for him." Siannon let out a bark of laughter,

"I'll say!" She pulled up the chair Tom had so recently vacated  
and sat down, setting her glass on the table. "You have an old  
head on your shoulders, Harry Kim. I think Tom's a lucky man."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry frowned at her, not  
entirely happy with the way the conversation was going.

"You ground him, Harry, pure and simple. If he didn't have you  
I think he'd lose the best part of himself."

"Tom's a survivor," Harry was quick to defend his best friend,  
but noticed Siannon was not really paying attention.

"He reminds me of Mozart in a way. Impetuous, brilliant in his  
own fashion and half mad from the pressure to succeed." Siannon  
had the grace to look a bit startled when Harry asked,

"You knew Mozart?"

"As well as most people could. He wouldn't let anyone too  
close."

"Wow."

"It's a pity he didn't have a friend like you, he might have  
lived longer."

"No shit!" Harry laughed a little but there were overtones of  
hysteria, "I can't believe I'm having this conversation."

"I'm afraid I have that effect on people when they first find  
out about me, it gets worse as I get older." Siannon gave a  
self depreciating shrug, taking a long pull at her Guinness.

"Hey, what did you mean before?"

"Before?"

"What you said about Tom losing himself." Siannon raised her  
head, searching Harry's face. She apparently found what she  
wanted.

"He's a driven man, Harry. Guilt, failure, no self esteem, I've  
seen it before. There's a wall around him that precious little  
can breach. In time he would've been consumed by his own  
bitterness, cut off from his better half. That's where you came  
in."

"I did?"

"I think you did Tom Paris the biggest favour of his life by  
not prejudging him and offering him a genuine friendship."

"But anyone would..."

"No they wouldn't. Did anyone else on this ship?"

"Except the Captain, not at first, but...."

"You bring out the best in people, Harry. As does that ever so  
perceptive Captain of yours. The two of you threw Tom a much  
needed lifeline, though I'm sure he'd be the last to admit it."

"How did you get to know so much?"

"I listen. I talk. I also knew Tom's aunt Rian which gave me a  
very different view of the family, I can tell you, though I  
never associated Rian Lewis with Marian Paris until I came  
here. Being an Admiral's brat is not always easy, contrary to  
popular belief. I also couldn't escape hearing about the  
Caldick Prime incident, it was hot news for a while but I  
didn't realise it was Rian's nephew that was involved. Plus,   
I have a major advantage."

"Experience?"

"Got it in one. What goes around, comes around. Being around as  
long as I have teaches a lot. I still make mistakes but that's  
only human." Harry was pensive for a while.

"It must be difficult for you, living so long. I mean you make  
friends, they grow old, they die and you're unchanged. Time to  
start over."

"Gets to you sometimes, I must admit." They sat in comfortable  
silence for a time, observing the others in the bar. Harry  
began pointing people out for Siannon, imparting snippets of   
information about the indicated person as he deemed appropriate.

"Actually Harry, I've a confession to make."

"You have?"

"I've not been entirely honest. Most of my close friends back  
home won't grow old and die, they're like me. Immortal. That's  
part of what's in the security file, most people have enough  
trouble coping with the concept of one immortal, never mind a  
whole gang of us. I suppose it's all a tad weird."

"I can cope with weird. Like the Captain told me once 'weird is  
part of the job'." Harry smiled at Siannon who burst out  
laughing.

"Harry, you're a treasure. I think you're going to be good for  
me."

 

"Is this a private party?" Harry twisted round at the new voice.  
It was B'Elanna Torres, PADD in hand.

"Hi B'Elanna, grab a chair. Is that the specs you wanted to go  
over?" He indicated the PADD.

"Yes, now if we..." She pulled up another chair and soon she  
and Harry were deep into one of their technical discussions.  
Siannon surprised them both by joining in, about which nothing  
was said immediately, though B'Elanna did raise an eyebrow.

 

"How come you know so much about ops systems?" B'Elanna sounded  
slightly accusing.

"That's easy enough to explain, I'm an ops officer on our  
bigger ships."

"Why didn't you say anything?"

"Nobody asked? I'm going to discuss my position on the ship  
with the Captain over the next few days so I didn't want to say  
anything. Talking of which I'm going to call it a day and be  
away to my bed."

"How about breakfast and a guided tour tomorrow? I'm not on  
duty."

"Sure Harry, I like the sound of that. What about you,  
B'Elanna, can you make a late breakfast?"

"I think so, I'll meet you both at 0900."

"See you tomorrow then." Siannon finished her Guinness and  
left, giving Harry and B'Elanna a wave on her way out.

"That's one hell of a woman," B'Elanna remarked.

"Tell me about it!" Harry exclaimed.

 

Next day Siannon woke much earlier than she intended or needed  
to and decided she might as well do something useful with her  
time, like making her quarters appear a little less functional  
and more like home. Showering and dressing quickly, she set to  
work. She was standing on the chair from her desk, fixing a  
large swath of Nerolian fire silk to act partially as a curtain  
to the sleeping area and also as pure decoration, when the door   
chimed.

"Come!" She managed to get out through the faceful of silk.  
Harry stepped in, observing the differences in the room.

"You've certainly been busy, this looks great. Do you need a  
hand there?" He moved forward to where Siannon was wrestling  
with the silk.

"No I've nearly finished, if I just get this bit over that pole  
there...Yeeess, that's it." She stepped down and moved back to  
admire her handiwork, examining the folds and billows of silk.

"What do you think, Harry?" She asked as she moved the chair  
back to the desk.

"It's very....decadent. Yes, I like it. You ready to go now?  
We're meeting B'Elanna in five minutes."

"And you don't make a Klingon wait for breakfast if you want to  
be around for lunch. Or a half Klingon for that matter. Yes I'm  
ready."

 

They had a very agreeable breakfast. B'Elanna was in a good  
mood, the food was edible and Neelix's new brew of 'tea' was  
positively pleasant. There were few people in the mess hall at  
that time and they soon dispersed, especially once Siannon had  
introduced herself, leaving her,B'Elanna and Harry to their own  
devices. Neelix was in the kitchen clanking around and  
generally muttering incomprehensibly, content that they knew   
to help themselves if they required more food or drink.

"You know what's missing?" B'Elanna said idly swirling the  
amber liquid in her cup. A leading question if ever there was  
one.&lt;..I'll bite..&gt; thought Harry,

"What?" he inquired.

"Tom," she stated baldly. Harry smiled fondly. Tom's irreverent  
humour had livened up many a quiet meal. The man was usually  
irrepressible.

"I think I know what you mean. I'm sure he wouldn't mind us  
descending on him for dinner."

"Even after last night?" Siannon said pointedly.

"Last night?" B'Elanna was intrigued, "Tell me more."

"He shot out of Sandrine's like a scalded cat. I think Harry  
made his ears burn."

"*Harry* made *Tom's* ears burn?" B'Elanna crowed with delight,  
"I wish I'd been watching. It seems you definitely are a  
reprobate, Starfleet."

"It wasn't like that," Harry protested, helplessly watching  
B'Elanna's shaking shoulders. "Tell her Siannon or I'll never  
live this down." B'Elanna managed to get herself back under   
control.

"Well?" She said, waiting with her arms folded, trying to look  
serious.

"Harry made Tom realise that he's trusted and capable of trust."

"How the hell did you manage that?" B'Elanna was amazed. Only  
when she stopped thinking of Tom as a pig had she realised how  
low an opinion he had of himself.

"Tom sort of did it himself." Harry shifted in his seat and  
glanced at Siannon. "We just pushed him in the right direction.  
I think he may still be recovering from the shock."

"I'll say. Look you two, I need to get down to engineering,  
I'll see you later. Enjoy the tour, Siannon." B'Elanna finished  
her tea and swept out.

 

"'Like a scalded cat'? Where do you get these expressions?"

"The Ark? Seriously, some things just stick with you through  
time and I've had more of that than the majority of people."   
Siannon gathered up the dishes while Harry stuck his head into  
the kitchen to tell Neelix they were leaving.

Harry took Siannon everywhere he knew on the ship and some  
places he hadn't realised he knew so well until it came to  
showing someone else. They finished on the observation deck,   
staring out at the stars.

"This is such a beautiful sight, I don't think I'll ever get  
used to it. The stars have been my friends for centuries, I've  
always been a traveller, but to be among them like this as  
though I could just reach out and touch them, it never ceases   
to amaze me. Even now, when they're distorted to lines in the   
sky, they're special." She drew a deep breath, lost in her  
contemplation of the silence of space. After a time she turned  
to face Harry. "This is some ship, thanks for showing me round."

"Anytime."

"You really love Voyager, don't you?" Harry shrugged.

"Its my first ship. I think your first assignment is always  
special. Still it helps to accept its likely to be my home for  
the next few decades."

"I suppose it would. Look, I have to speak to the Doctor and  
the Captain. Will I see you later?"

"Sure, give me a call when you've finished." As Siannon left  
Harry was still staring out of the windows, in a world of his  
own.

 

Siannon made her way to sickbay, pondering about what to say to  
the Doctor. He was already activated when she entered and busy  
in his office. There were no patients and Kes was nowhere to be  
seen.

"Doctor, can I have a word please?"

"Ah yes, Ms. O'Niall, I was hoping you'd stop by."

"Siannon."

"Very well, Siannon. I would like to discuss the tricorder data  
with you, maybe take some samples. You would make a very  
interesting subject for a thesis, you know. I can see it now..."

"I'm afraid that won't be possible."

"Why ever not?"

"I want you to erase the medical file you have about me.  
Tricorder readings, hypotheses, everything. No one must learn  
of immortality unless I tell them."

"I fail to see why having a medical file on the computer would  
be such a risk. We are hardly likely to be captured by the  
Kazon again."

"People covet immortality, Doctor. You yourself have it in a  
way and I am not the only one of my kind. It is something you  
have from birth, it cannot be denied or conferred on others.  
Despite this, people experiment on us, torture us. What is  
unknown is dangerous and I have my friends in the alpha  
quadrant to protect in addition to myself. There is only a  
certain amount of pain a person can stand, a limited number of  
times you can die only to come back to more pain and death,  
before you become a little...unhinged. Starfleet is aware of  
our existence, which should satisfy your sense of propriety  
Doctor." Siannon was leaning on the wall by the office doorway,  
her relaxed posture betrayed by her stony gaze. The Doctor took  
one glance at the expression in her eyes and capitulated..

"I think I begin to understand. I apologise if my enthusiasm  
was a little misplaced." Siannon unwound herself from the wall,  
making her way over to the Doctor. Placing both hands on his  
desk she leaned toward him, glaring.

"Your enthusiasm does you credit. It makes you so much more  
than just another hologram, your programmers would be proud to  
see the commitment you have made to this ship and its crew."  
She backed off, not wanting to be intimidating and perched on  
the edge of the desk. "Which brings me to the other matter I  
wished to discuss. I've noticed you are a little short handed  
here in sickbay."

"Just a little, yes."

"Anyway, I was wondering how you would feel about having a  
medical assistant?"

"An assistant. You mean you?"

"I mean me."

"You have medical training?"

"I was at med. school with Leonard McCoy, he was a couple of  
years behind me. I haven't practised as a doctor since 2318,  
though I'm still a registered field medic. If you're wondering  
about whether I can bring myself up to scratch in the latest  
techniques and research - don't. I have an eidetic memory."

"Another one. Just what I needed."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Kes has an eidetic memory, she also learns at a ferocious  
rate. She doesn't read medical texts, she devours them. Now of  
course it stands her in good stead but it was a little...  
wearing at first."

"Do you think Kes will mind?"

"About you being a medical assistant? No. She has so many roles  
aboard this ship I think she may appreciate a little more time.  
Actually I think you two will work well together."

"Good. I'll speak to Kes then." Kes picked that moment to walk  
in.

"Why would you like to speak to me?"

"I've just asked the Doctor if he would accept me as a medical  
assistant. I was wondering if you'd mind?"

"Mind? No, I think that would be marvellous. Imagine how much  
more we could do!" Kes' face was shining with fervour. "You  
must see the Captain, Siannon, ask her to assign you here as  
soon as possible."

"Right. I'll go now, if she can see me. May I?" Siannon  
indicated the comm. panel. With nods from both the Doctor and  
Kes she stepped forward.

"O'Niall to Captain Janeway."

"Yes Siannon, what can I do for you?"

"Would it be possible to speak to you? There's a matter I would  
like to discuss with you."

"Of course, meet me in my ready room. Janeway out."

 

Siannon drew a few curious glances from the crew as she stepped  
onto the bridge. At the conn Tom gave her an impudent wink when  
she looked at him. She breathed a sigh of relief &lt;..We're still  
friends then..&gt; Pressing the chime for the ready room she  
mentally rehearsed what she was going to say. It all went out  
the window of course.

 

Janeway started asking her questions about the fall of Rome and  
the rise of Byzantium when she had barely crossed the  
threshold. Soon they were chatting like old friends. When  
Janeway realised that the had not even mentioned the reason  
Siannon had requested the meeting she was almost apologetic.

"Excuse me for digressing but since I read the security file  
plus the amendments you gave me last night, I have been  
fascinated by the idea of talking about a period of Earth's   
history that has always interested me with someone who was  
actually there. Now what did you want to discuss with me?"

"You know I am an ops officer..."

"And a half decent pilot to boot, according to your files."

"Well I can't help noticing you don't really need an ops  
officer and you already have the best pilot you could have,,so  
I thought perhaps it would be best to utilise my skills as a  
medical assistant." Janeway rose from her seat and began to pace.

"While I cannot deny we need more medical personnel, I must  
point out that it has been over fifty years since you last  
practised as a doctor."

"Fifty years is only a drop in the ocean of time for me.  
Besides, I've an eidetic memory."

"I can see that would be useful. Well, obviously you have  
thought about this so if the Doctor and Kes are willing you can  
start in sickbay tomorrow. Before I assign you any rank you  
must undergo at least a week of evaluation and training, more if  
the Doctor feels it is appropriate. All I need to do is clear  
this with him and Kes."

"Er... actually I've already spoken to them, Captain. They both  
seemed quite enthusiastic at the prospect." Janeway raised an  
eyebrow.

"I'm sure they did. Right then," she busied herself at her  
console for a minute, "Here are your replicator credits, make  
sure you get a uniform for tomorrow. Report to sickbay at first  
shift and Siannon," she smiled as Siannon rose to leave, "Good  
Luck. You may need it."

 

Siannon returned to her quarters, happy that she had done all  
she could for the time being. She replicated two blue uniforms  
immediately, noting that the Captain had been generous with the  
credits. Stashing the uniforms in her closet she eyed the  
remaining items waiting to be unpacked.&lt;..Might as well finish  
off, I suppose..&gt; She selected a box at random, hauling it into  
the main room, and made a start. It contained her photographs,  
holoprograms, data chips for the replicator, her music   
collection and various PADDs. Dumping everything onto her desk  
she separated the photographs from the rest. After hanging them  
on the wall she remembered Harry's parting comment.

"O'Niall to Kim."

"Yeah Siannon,"

"I've finished for the day. I'm still sorting out some stuff  
but you're welcome to come on over if you want."

"I might just do that. See you soon." Siannon had just started  
on another box when the door chimed.

"Come in!" Harry wandered in, inquisitively glancing around the  
room. His eyes were immediately attracted by what Siannon was  
holding.

"What the hell is that?"

"This?" Siannon waved said item in the air. "Its a South  
American rain stick. Listen." She demonstrated turning it first  
one way, then the other. "I've had one of these for centuries.  
This one's about twenty years old, I got my first one in the  
1980s from a Peruvian friend."

"What else have you got in there?" Harry threw himself down on  
the floor cushions next to the box, eyes alight with curiosity.

"Mmm, let me see..." Siannon began unwrapping the cloth that  
had been used as padding. "If I remember rightly there should  
be...Ah yes, here we are. Zampona. Three different sizes." She  
lifted them out of the box carefully.

"Pan pipes? I've always liked the sound of them, any chance of  
a demonstration?"

"I'm a little rusty but here goes." She did a couple of  
practice scales before launching into El Condor Pasa, stumbling  
once or twice but playing all of it without a major mishap.

"Hey, that wasn't bad!" He peered into the box. There were a  
number of brightly painted clay items visible. He reached in to  
pick one up and examined it closely. It was painted on one side  
only, the other being plain terracotta and shaped something like  
a face. The finger holes and mouthpiece were fairly obvious.

"It's an ocarina. Go on, have a go, they're quite easy to  
play." Harry flashed a smile at Siannon, chagrined that he was  
so easy to read and lifted the ocarina to his lips. He blew  
gently, experimentally into the instrument and was quite pleased  
at the sound produced. Hesitantly he played the first few bars  
of a simple folk tune.

"Don't think I'll win any prizes." He stated as he passed the  
ocarina back to Siannon. She put it down gently as she rose to  
go into the sleeping area.

"I'm sure I had a display unit for this lot."

 

Siannon poked around for a while before emerging with another  
box.

"Give me a hand with this, Harry. We'll put it up over there."  
She indicated a spot by the wall. Working together they set up  
the unit and managed to place everything to their liking."Looks  
good." They both stepped back to admire their work. Siannon  
moved to the replicator."Drink, Harry?" She asked peering over  
her shoulder.

"Please. Apple juice would be good." She ordered two apple  
juices and made her way over to Harry. He was looking at the  
photographs she had hung earlier. "Who are all these people?"

"The big one," she indicated a picture of about thirty people  
in royal blue jumpsuits gathered on the steps of a  
neo-classical building, "Is of all the FF courier crews. Most   
of the others are of my friends from Albion and their families.  
This one," she indicated a shot of herself and six others, "Is  
of my oldest friends." The slight inflection on 'oldest' made  
Harry look at her sharply, eyes narrowed slightly.

"Oldest as in like you?" He asked.

"Er, yes." Harry wandered back to the box, drink in hand.

"Anything else in there?"

"Please, feel free. Help yourself." He bent down to look  
inside, taking out a layer of padding. Suddenly his face lit up  
and he put down his drink.

"Now these I can play." He lifted out a penny whistle and  
proceeded to demonstrate.

"Where the hell did you learn to play a penny whistle?" Harry  
grinned impishly, pleased to have given Siannon a surprise.

"I had an Irish friend in my first couple of years at the  
academy, Niamh Coghlan, who played in a folk group. She decided  
to teach me for some obscure reason known only to herself. Not  
thatI minded as I really liked one of her friends in the group  
and I played with them sometimes once I was good enough."

"What about the friend?"

"Oh that didn't come to anything. Typical teenage crush."  
Harry's expression had become quite guarded. Siannon wisely let  
the matter drop though she was desperate to know more. Instead,  
she changed the subject.

"Think you're still good enough with that to play against a  
rhythm?"

"I guess so, why?" In answer Siannon took a bodhran down from  
where it had been displayed on the wall and began to beat out a  
rhythm. Harry listened until he was sure he had it straight and  
then started to play.

 

The spirit of the music carried them away as they progressed  
from jig to reel to air and back when a rumble from the  
vicinity of Siannon's stomach interrupted. The expression of   
disgust on her face was so comical that Harry had to laugh.

"What time is it?"

"Nearly 16:30."

"Bloody Hell. I missed lunch completely, no wonder I'm hungry.  
What time's dinner?"

"Sort of nowish. Tom's shift should be finished now and I  
usually go to the mess hall with him. You're welcome to come  
along if you want."

"I'd love to, sounds ideal." At that moment Harry's  
communicator chirped.

"Paris to Kim."

"Go ahead Tom."

"I'm on my way to the mess hall now. I'll meet you in there,  
okay? See if you can drag Siannon over as well."

"See you there. Kim out. Well Siannon are you prepared to be  
dragged to the mess hall?"

"Am I ever! I don't think I'd care if dinner sat up and looked  
at me as long as it was edible." Harry snorted.

"Don't mock, with Neelix's cooking dinner might just do that."  
Leaving the instruments they headed off for the mess hall.

 

Dinner was actually quite palatable. Tom decided that Neelix  
must be ill as all the meals that day had been edible. He was  
still holding forth on the subject when B'Elanna joined them.

"Shut up, Paris." She cheerfully announced.

"Nice to see you too, B'Elanna." She pulled up the chair next  
to Siannon and started to eat. About two minutes later she  
stopped and grinned at Tom.

"You're right. Neelix must be sick." Tom leaned back wearing  
his best 'I told you so' face. B'Elanna carried on eating.

"You didn't have to agree with him B'Elanna, he'll be  
insufferable now." Harry sighed. The conversation degenerated  
from that point onwards. The four of them drew several curious   
glances, particularly at the point when they all ended up  
slightly breathless with laughter.

 

Shortly after this the Captain and Commander entered the mess  
hall. They immediately noticed the camaraderie between the four  
friends and walked over to join them after choosing their food.

"May we join you?" Four pairs of eyes turned as one to the  
source of the voice.

"Captain. Commander. Please do." Siannon waved at the two empty  
seats.

"I understand you four are in a position to tell me whether  
I've heard a vicious rumour or the literal truth." Chakotay  
said as he sat down.

"We are?" Tom looked askance at the Commander.

"Yes you are. Is it true that dinner tastes good for a change?"  
B'Elanna grinned.

"Actually it is. Tom thinks Neelix must be ill, the food's been  
reasonable all day."

"B'Elanna, don't start him off again." Siannon said, glaring at  
Tom as she spoke. Tom was trying to look offended and was just  
about managing to keep his grin suppressed, B'Elanna had  
started laughing again.

"You four certainly seem to be getting on well, I must say."  
Janeway said, glancing from one to another, her gaze finally  
resting on Siannon who smiled at her.

"Strange isn't it? Still I think that with all my years of  
experience I might just manage to put up with them all."  
B'Elanna hit her, Harry kicked her under the table and Tom gave   
her a look that said 'I wouldn't be so sure of that'.

"You seem to be having a disruptive effect on my crew, Ms  
O'Niall." Janeway's face was completely serious but her eyes  
were sparkling with amusement. "I am afraid I will have to  
discipline you. One game of pool should suffice, I think."

"Well, I can't back down from a challenge can I? I understand  
there's a match going on so it will have to be after that."

"Who's playing tonight, B'Elanna?" Chakotay was following the  
ongoing match.

"Javorkha O'Sullivan and Joe Carey."

"That could be interesting."

"Don't I know it!" They all chatted easily for a while longer  
about general ship's business until Janeway rose.

"I'll see you all in Sandrine's later." Chakotay left soon  
after.

 

B'Elanna stretched, popping her joints. Tom and Harry winced at  
the sound.

"I need to go and work out the kinks. Anyone interested? Harry?"

"Don't look at me, last time I worked out with you I had to  
visit the Doctor."

"Tom?"

"Trying to avoid being skewered by a sword is not my idea of  
fun at the moment. Besides we have other plans, don't we Harry."

"Um yeah, sure we have."

"Chicken. Siannon?"

"Why not. I'm pretty good with a sword." As B'Elanna opened   
her mouth Siannon stopped her with a raised hand. "On one  
condition. I unwind in your way today, You unwind in mine   
another day. Deal?" B'Elanna's smile was feral.

"Deal." Tom and Harry grimaced at each other. Tom stood,  
dragging Harry with him.

"Have a good time guys. We're outta here. See you in Sandrine's  
later if you're still in one piece." They made a judicious  
exit. Siannon gestured at the door.

"Shall we?"

"Holodeck three in ten minutes?"

"I'll be there." They dumped their plates and went their  
separate ways.

 

The two women were at an impasse, swords and eyes locked.  
B'Elanna's chest was heaving as she glared at Siannon.

"You were right.....when you said you were pretty good......  
with a sword." She panted.

"What do you think you use to decapitate someone. You want to  
live as an immortal you have to be good. Otherwise...kaput."  
Siannon executed a strange twist with her sword and wrist and  
B'Elanna's weapon went flying.

"Of course its not as bad now, but a few hundred years ago it  
was kill or be killed. *Not* a pleasant situation." She was  
also breathing heavily and stepped back to let B'Elanna   
retrieve her sword. "Kinks worked out now, B'Elanna?"

"Oh I think so." B'Elanna's tone was one of exhausted  
satisfaction.

"Time to get ready for Sandrine's, I think. The Captain awaits.  
You still coming?"

"Try and stop me. I wouldn't miss this for the world."  
B'Elanna's eyes were sparkling with anticipation. "So what have  
you got planned for the rerun, Siannon?" She was avid to know.

"Now that would be telling." Siannon laughed at B'Elanna's  
crestfallen expression. "You'll find out eventually, don't  
worry. This way makes for greater anticipation."

 

Sandrine's was packed. Word had travelled along the ship's  
grapevine about Janeway and Siannon's game. Consequently there  
was a huge audience for Carey and O'Sullivan's match. He made  
an ignominious exit, folding under the increased scrutiny, as  
she played a coolly confident game. The Delaney sisters marched  
the victor off to the bar where they bumped into Siannon. They  
disappeared to obtain some drinks.

"Hey that was well played." Siannon said.

"Thanks," replied Javorkha, "You're not so bad yourself, I saw  
you play yesterday. I'm Javorkha O'Sullivan, by the way."

"Siannon O'Niall." They shook hands.

"You know, you play pool like my dad does. He learned when he  
was a kid on Albion. With a name like yours I wouldn't be  
surprised if you came from Albion too."

"I do, sort of. You're dad wasn't Brian O'Sullivan by any  
chance?"

"Yeah, he was actually. Why?"

"I taught him!" Siannon laughed "What a small world."

"You mean you're *that* Siannon?"

"Sure I am. There aren't that many of us."

"I'll be damned. Here," Javorkha grabbed the two Delaneys who  
had reappeared, "Jenny, Megan, meet Siannon." There were more  
handshakes all round. The four of them were still deep in   
conversation when Tom sidled up, throwing an arm around each  
Delaney.

"Don't you have a pool game, Siannon?"

"Oh hell, I forgot. She's not here yet is she?"

"Nah, your luck's holding. Well Jenny, Megan, I have to lead  
this lamb to the slaughter." He gently disengaged himself and  
made his way with Siannon back to the pool table where B'Elanna,  
Harry and Chakotay were waiting.

"You look good," commented Harry, eyeing her jeans clad form  
appreciatively, then immediately coloured and dropped his eyes  
when she raised an eyebrow. Chakotay grinned at his obvious   
embarrassment. &lt;..Was I ever that young?..&gt;Tom and B'Elanna  
burst out laughing. Fortunately for Harry the Captain arrived  
at that point and spared him the unmerciful teasing he would   
have ordinarily received.

"Ready?" She asked as Chakotay racked up the balls.

"As I'll ever be, I suppose."

 

The Captain's game was superlative and consequently Siannon  
lost, despite fierce contention. There were equal numbers of  
cheers and groans echoing around the bar as Janeway potted the   
last ball. She looked at Siannon over the table with a twinkling  
smile.

"Consider yourself disciplined." People crowded round the two  
of them with varying amounts of good natured back slapping and  
more than a few ribald comments. Congratulations and   
condolences were being thrown at them from all sides.

 

In amongst this bedlam Siannon found herself grabbed by Tom,  
Harry, B'Elanna and Javorkha and dragged off to a slightly  
quieter spot where there were a few other people that Siannon   
had not met. Javorkha took the initiative.

"Meet the makings of an impromptu Ceilidh band. Sean Connolly,"  
she indicated a ginger haired maquis, "Fiona Hersching," a  
willowy blond, "Paul Heaney," a dark, wiry man, "and last but  
not least, us. It seems that everyone's been hiding their  
talents. I knew we played," she gestured at her three friends  
and Harry, "But not Paris or Torres. Harry here started telling  
us about your collection and all of a sudden I'm surrounded by  
musicians. Then I had this great idea." Siannon was intrigued.

"So what do you propose?" She asked curiously. Before Javorkha  
could answer Tom butted in.

"Take Sandrine's by storm. A holographic instrument sounds much  
the same as a real one." He paused, "At least the piano does.  
We'll bring the house down." Siannon smiled as she looked at  
the expectant faces around her.

"Okay, I'm convinced. Now let's plan this little surprise."

 

Janeway's attention had been grabbed by the small huddle of  
conspirators. She nudged Chakotay who obligingly glanced over  
to the area indicated.

"Any interesting theories as to what's going on over there,  
Chakotay?"

"Not really, but I'm sure we'll find out soon enough. That's a  
pretty mixed bunch of people."

"Isn't it just." She settled down to watch and wait, Chakotay  
joining her. It was not long before their patience was rewarded  
and the group broke up making their way in dribs and drabs  
toward the pool table. Her eyes were caught by a heated  
discussion between Siannon and Tom so it was a complete shock  
when the drumming started. She stared at the sight of Javorkha  
and B'Elanna playing the bodhran, transfixed. She totally missed  
the pool table disappearing, the piano materialising and the  
others now wielding various instruments. Then Siannon started  
fiddling and the group swung into a furious reel. Janeway  
gasped with amazement.&lt;..Well I never..&gt;

"I certainly didn't anticipate this." Chakotay said in  
Janeway's ear. He could barely make himself understood over the  
spontaneous cheering and stomping that had broken out.

"*You* didn't." She shook her head. "Neither did *I*. This  
is..is..astounding. B'Elanna playing a drum I can live with,  
it's something she can hit without hurting, but Harry with a  
penny whistle... I just would not have believed it. He's always  
seemed so damn *classical*. And Tom.... on a piano! I must be  
hallucinating." Words failed her as the objects of her scrutiny  
carried on playing, clearly enjoying themselves and completely  
oblivious to the effect they were having on their Captain.

"No hallucination," Chakotay breathed, "Just a very special  
gift for Voyager." Janeway glowered at him. "And a surprise for  
you, obviously." He let out a bark of laughter at the  
expression on her face, before managing to control himself.   
"Connolly and Hersching used to play together in the Maquis, I  
must admit I didn't know about the others." Her expression  
mellowed.

"At least I'm not the only one who didn't know." They watched  
as people started to dance. All the holocharacters except  
Sandrine had been deleted and the Frenchwoman looked decidedly   
uncomfortable at this invasion of her bar. Janeway's eyes were  
shining as Siannon started calling dance figures for an  
eight-some reel and could not keep her feet from tapping.   
Chakotay noticed, smiling fondly at her.

"Shall we?" He asked indicating her to precede him onto the  
dance floor. She called it a day after one dance, laughing  
breathlessly.

"I'm not as young as I used to be," she gasped. "I'm going to  
turn in. See you tomorrow." She threw Chakotay one of her  
brilliant smiles, leaving before anyone else asked her to dance.  
Her last view of Sandrine's was of Chakotay being pulled onto  
the dance floor by a grinning Nicoletti. Janeway chuckled to  
herself all the way back to her quarters.

 

Considerably later, Tom, Harry, B'Elanna and Siannon all  
stumbled into the latter's quarters, still on a high.

"What did I tell you, we took them by storm!" Tom was  
exuberant, almost glowing.

"We'll have to do it again sometime," said Harry.

"Not without more practise, my fingers are killing me."  
B'Elanna was trying to shake some of the stiffness out while  
she glowered at the two grinning men.

"Drink anyone?" Siannon asked. They called out their orders and  
she brought them over to where her friends were collapsed on or  
around the sofa. She perched on the arm of the sofa next to  
B'Elanna. "Is your hand really bothering you?"

"Just my right hand, yes. It keeps on cramping up. Why?"

"I've just the thing for it." Siannon disappeared for a minute  
and they heard rummaging sounds and muffled curses from the  
sleeping area. B'Elanna found two pairs of curious eyes on her  
and shrugged, rolling her eyes. Siannon emerged with a carved  
wooden box. Placing it on the floor she opened it releasing a  
mixture of aromas and selected a particular bottle before  
settling back on the arm of the sofa.

"If you don't mind me asking, what are you going to do?"

"Give you a hand massage. What did you think I was going to  
do?" B'Elanna did not answer but there was a muffled choking  
sound from Harry on the floor. "This blend of oils works a treat  
on aching muscles, should help you sleep as well." Siannon made  
a start and in a short while B'Elanna had completely relaxed,  
the pain in her hand gone. Harry was watching them both from  
the cushions on the floor and Tom had fallen asleep. Once  
Siannon had finished and put the oil away Harry nudged Tom  
awake.

"I think we'd better go, we all have an early start tomorrow."  
He said. Siannon looked up.

"Sure. Look I'll meet you lot for breakfast tomorrow in the  
mess hall. 07:15 okay?" The other three looked at each other and  
shrugged.

"Yeah that's fine," Tom yawned. "But why?"

"Ha! It's a surprise. Go on, out of here you lot, before you  
all fall asleep. I'll see you tomorrow." With that she shooed  
them all out of the door.

 

The next morning Siannon took her time getting ready. Giving  
herself the once over in the mirror she chuckled at the irony  
of seeing herself back in a starfleet uniform after so many  
years. . She carefully brushed her hair  
easing out the tangles before pulling the wild dark mass back  
and plaiting it into a single braid down her back, deciding on  
simplicity rather than the more complicated style Janeway  
preferred. Straightening the uniform one last time she left for  
the mess hall and her new life.

 

In the mess hall her three friends had already appropriated a  
table.

"Haven't either of you got any idea what this surprise is?"  
B'Elanna's curiosity was in full swing. She looked from Harry  
to Tom and back again, they shook their heads. "Men!" She huffed  
and started to concentrate on breakfast. The door opened behind  
her as Siannon walked in. Tom and Harry both stared.

"This is your surprise?" Asked Harry. B'Elanna twisted round in  
her seat to look.&lt;..Blue?..&gt; Siannon grinned at them and struck  
a pose.

"Ta-dah. Meet the Doctors new medical assistant." Tom leered at  
her, slowly shaking his head.

"I hope you realise what you're letting yourself in for,  
Siannon, could be a fate worse than death. At least sickbay  
will be a little more interesting in the future, I get a little  
tired of the Doctor practising his lack of a bedside manner on  
me." Harry darted a glance out of the corner of his eye at Tom,  
a strange, twisted smile on his face.

"Should keep out of trouble then, shouldn't you." Tom turned to  
face Harry, matching the smile although it looked more gentle  
on his face.

"Just like you I suppose, hey Harry."

"That's different and you know it." Harry glowered at Tom, who  
appeared strangely solemn.

"Is it Harry? Is it really?" Blue eyes met brown for an eternal  
instant, making a connection.

"Come on guys, lighten up. This is breakfast." B'Elanna was  
nothing if not practical. Siannon left them briefly to fetch  
her own breakfast, smiling at them all as she pulled up a chair.

"Don't worry, I can guarantee that you'll all be made very  
welcome in sickbay." Unanimous groans pervaded the table. They  
ate in silence for a while before Tom broke it with a question.

"Bit of a contrast isn't it? ops officer and medic." Harry  
looked at him shrewdly.

"And who was acting as medical assistant before Kes took over,  
hmm?" Tom coughed and looked embarrassed, a slow flush rising  
up his neck. &lt;..Damn skin, too fair for it's own good..&gt;

"Um, well, I try not to think of that." He said. B'Elanna  
snorted as she remarked,

"So does the Doctor I'll bet." Siannon could not help  
sniggering at their expressions.

"You and the Doctor? I'm surprised you both survived." Tom  
sighed and determinedly changed the subject.

"So what's the plan, Siannon?"

"I've got a week or so of evals. And then the Doc. decides on  
whether I'm fit to share the sickbay with him and Kes. After  
that I hopefully get assigned some rank and become an official   
member of the crew." Tom smiled warmly at her without the usual  
edge.

"Well good luck to you, you'll need it."

"Yeah, rather you than me." Harry shuddered theatrically,  
"Anything but the Doctor...." The conversation then degenerated  
into a discussion of the latest gossip until it was time for   
them to leave for their respective posts.

 

They met up again over dinner.

"Well?" B'Elanna voiced the question for all of them. Siannon  
grinned.

"I think the Doctor was in 'nice' mode, I had a very easy day  
surprisingly. I suppose I'll know better tomorrow though."

"I can guarantee you won't last a week before you're wishing he  
wasn't a hologram." Tom waved his fork at Siannon to emphasise  
his point of view.

"What do you mean?"

"You'll want to strangle him, speaking from personal experience  
of course."

"Or worse." Harry chimed in as he and Tom exchanged glances  
before dissolving into fits of laughter. Siannon looked at  
B'Elanna, hoping for encouragement.

"He can't be *that* bad. Can he?" B'Elanna gave Siannon her  
best enigmatic smile.

"Wait and see," was all she said.

"But don't say we didn't warn you." Harry declared. Tom was  
still laughing.

 

Siannon lasted three more days. She stormed into the mess hall  
at lunch time with a face like a thundercloud. Harry squawked  
and almost jumped out of his skin when she slammed her tray  
down in front of him. He took one look at her murderous   
expression and sighed. Meeting her slaty gaze he let his  
expressive eyes mirror his concern. He had never seen her so  
wound up.

"Trouble?" She glared at him, visibly fuming.

"That...that... *man* is impossible!" She threw herself into  
the opposite chair with a thump.

"The Doctor?"

"The Doctor." Harry stared at his plate to hide the smile that  
could not help escaping.

"That bad huh?"

"Believe me, you couldn't guess. I knew I gave up medicine for  
a reason, too many prima donnas. If I could I'd...."

"Strangle him?"

"Or worse." She gave Harry a wry smile, "Well you did warn me I  
suppose, but still...." She drew a deep breath, trying to calm  
herself, find her centre. She let it out with a rush, along  
with most of her irritation. Harry waited, watching her  
carefully.

 

"Better?" He asked, once Siannon appeared to be more her normal  
self.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

"It happens. Proves you're only human anyway." They grinned at  
each other as Siannon began to attack her lunch, which was one  
of Neelix's better offerings. "How did you let yourself get  
riled up? I would have thought you could take on board whatever  
the Doctor threw at you."

"I think the good Doctor has been researching his database and  
I must be mentioned in there somewhere. Couldn't really avoid  
it practising medicine and being the way I am. He pushed all  
the right buttons when I wasn't expecting it and I just lost   
control. Don't worry, it won't happen again, I can wind up the  
best of them if I put my mind to it and the Doc. won't find me  
off guard around him any more."

"So you'll get your own back?"

"With bells on." Siannon gave Harry an devilish smirk before  
changing the subject. "What's to drink today?"

"Shiral tea or blend 32, I think."

"Blend 32? Eehugh. Want a cup of shiral?"

"Please." Siannon wandered over to the kitchen to yell at  
Neelix until she had his attention. Contrite, he gave her a pot  
rather than only two cups. Putting it on the table between her  
and Harry she sat down and thoughtfully described wet patterns  
out of the tea that had spilt on the table.

 

"It's funny, you know." She said.

"What is?"

"I feel like I've been here forever already. Yelling at Neelix,  
moaning about the Doc., being mithered by Tom, it all seems  
second nature. My other life seems so far removed, in time as  
well as space."

"Maybe you were meant to be here."

"No, I don't believe in fate. Why have the ability to choose if  
your life is already mapped out from start to finish."

"You can still have choice and believe in fate. How else do you  
account for this."

"This?"

"Discussing philosophy over lunch with a guy you've only known  
for five days as if you'd known him all your life. And not just  
now, its the whole way you relate to me, Tom and B'Elanna. I  
don't see that with anyone else, not even the Captain or  
Chakotay. Sure, you get on with people easily but that's  
superficial. This sure as hell isn't." He drew a deep breath,  
wondering if he had said too much, and met Siannon's eyes. All  
at once he felt like he was drowning, the green eyes were wells  
of experience and for the first time Siannon let every century  
show, heart and soul bared. Love, hate, agony, ecstasy,  
anticipation, bitter disappointment, the joy of finding someone  
special, the pain of losing them, pride, hope, fear, respect  
and a healthy appreciation of life in all its infinite variety  
were all there. Harry tore his gaze away with real difficulty,  
the colour draining from his face.

"I know you," he breathed, "I don't know how, or where from but  
I know you and yet... I know I never saw you before you  
arrived on Voyager." He squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his   
hands over his face and would not look at Siannon.&lt;..Shit! I've  
never had deja vu like that before..&gt; He was so caught up in  
his inner turmoil he almost missed her next question.

"Harry, I need to ask you something." He still would not look  
at her.

"Go on," he mumbled.

"Do you believe in reincarnation?"

"What?!" He dropped his hands while his eyes flew open in  
surprise as he stared at her as if she had grown another head  
and turned bright purple.

"Yes or no. Do you believe in reincarnation?" Harry pondered  
this carefully.&lt;..Do I?.. &gt; He thought of his family, of his  
great uncle who was a Buddhist monk, of his abandonment of that  
way of life in favour of Starfleet principles, of his far too  
close brushes with death and how they had begun to realign his  
beliefs.

"It's not that easy, but yes I do," he gave Siannon a shy  
smile, "but don't tell anyone, okay?"

"I won't." She leaned across the table to squeeze his hand  
gently. "Talk to me later. You need to calm down before you go  
back to the bridge, so I'd better go." She got up to leave.

"Wait a minute. You're telling me you believe in reincarnation  
but not in fate?"

"Yes."

"And that I've met you in a previous life?"

"Something like that." Harry was starting to feel panicky. &lt;..I  
don't know if I can deal with this..&gt;

"You're right, you'd better go. Some lunch break." He watched  
Siannon leave before mentally turning into a gibbering wreck  
for the last five minutes of his break.

 

He got through his bridge shift with some semblance of  
normality, avoiding Tom's concerned glances. Fortunately for  
him Tom was the only one on the bridge perceptive enough to  
notice his discomfiture. &lt;..Probably because he knows me so  
well..&gt; Harry thought. Unfortunately he did not miss Tom as  
planned at the end of the shift by the simple expedient of Tom  
waiting for him.

"What's wrong Harry? Something's got you rattled badly." Tom  
asked as soon as they were alone in the turbolift.

"You could say that." Harry was determined not to discuss it.

"Something Siannon said?" Tom was reaching but had hit paydirt  
in the process. Harry backed away from him, as startled as Tom  
had ever seen him. "Guess that's as good as an answer," he   
observed carefully. "Want to talk about it?" Tom gave Harry the  
gentle smile that was so rarely seen on his face. If anything  
Harry looked even more startled.

"No!" He blurted out. "I mean... Look, I'm sorry Tom but I  
need to sort this out myself before I can even think straight,  
never mind talk about it."

"When you're ready, I'll be there." Harry cast him a relieved  
glance, before relaxing against the wall of the lift.

"Thanks Tom."

"Anytime." Moving forward he threw a friendly arm around  
Harry's shoulder. "Now did I tell you what the Delaney sisters  
are planning....." The lift stopped and they walked down the   
corridor together, Tom still chattering at Harry, until they  
reached Harry's door. Tom immediately took his mouth out of  
gear and put both hands on Harry's shoulders before staring  
earnestly into Harry's eyes.

"I meant what I said Harry. You're the closest thing I've had  
to real family for too many years, so whenever you're ready,  
I'll be there." With that he turned on his heel and strode down  
the corridor leaving Harry gaping like a stranded fish. Slowly  
Harry let himself in and collapsed into the nearest chair.

 

Harry avoided the mess hall that evening which was not a  
surprise to either Tom or Siannon. B'Elanna was also absent  
having to stay in engineering as there was a problem that  
required both her and Carey's attention. Instinctively Tom and  
Siannon chose one of the quieter times to go for dinner as  
neither felt particularly good company and did not really want   
to be disturbed by well meaning people. Tom only had one thing  
on his mind that he wanted to discuss and broached the subject  
as soon as he dared.

"Just what did you say to Harry at lunch, Siannon? He was in a  
state of shock for the rest of the shift and he wouldn't talk  
to me about it. God, he couldn't even *think* about it. You  
freaked him out well and truly."

"I'd rather not discuss it until I've sorted it out with Harry."

"For God's sake Siannon, he's my *best friend*. In fact for the  
longest time he was my *only* friend. I wouldn't do anything to  
hurt him, I'm just concerned, okay?"

"Tom, calm down. I do understand you know, I've had the odd  
close friend before. It's just not my place to tell you how  
Harry feels even if it is something I said that brought this to   
a head. In fact it had to be said while the moment was  
appropriate, I just didn't anticipate his reaction. Harry has  
such a unique outlook I thought he'd cope better. I guess I  
forgot how young he really is."

"Easily done, I know. He's too damn perceptive for his own  
good, scares the shit out of me sometimes. I can't hide much  
from Harry."

"And vice versa, by the look of it or we wouldn't be having  
this conversation."

"That's what you were talking about.... Relationships."

"Tom, stop fishing. I'm not going to tell you."

"I can speculate wildly can't I?"

"I don't think I could stop you if I tried." Tom grinned,  
defusing the intensity of the atmosphere.

"Damn right. Hey, you didn't tell him you're really his great  
great great grandmother did you?" The idea was so ludicrous  
that Siannon couldn't help the bark of laughter that escaped.

"No.. no, that's a physical impossibility."

"It is?"

"All immortals are sterile, male and female both. Something to  
do with the genetic code for reproduction being reprogrammed  
for self preservation above all else. I don't know how, no-one  
does, so don't ask me."

"Thank God for that. I was going to ask you if you were sure  
you weren't my great-whatever-grandmother. If you had been I  
would've had someone to blame the whole Goddamn Paris family on  
and I kinda like you so I didn't want it to be your fault."

"Your ancestors definitely had nothing to do with me."

"Good. Look Siannon, will you go and speak to Harry tonight,  
get this situation sorted out. There's no way he can get  
through another bridge shift in the state he was today without   
anyone noticing. Even if you have to stay up half the night it  
won't matter, he's on second shift tomorrow."

"Well..."

"Please. I hate to see him like this."

"If he'll see me, I will. I was going to try anyway, you're not  
the only one who's concerned. As it stands I'm sure he'll be  
okay once he's worked through it, he has deep roots does Harry."

"Yeah, I know. I'll see you tomorrow then, I expect you'll be  
too busy to come to Sandrine's tonight. Mind you I don't really  
know if I feel like it myself, worry ties my guts in knots."   
With that Tom dumped his dinner, which he had barely touched,  
leaving Siannon in the mess hall alone.

 

Siannon did not want to contact Harry straight away, she needed  
to think about their conversation herself. She had not lived  
for two millennia by throwing caution to the wind at every  
turn, consequently her behaviour since joining Voyager was  
perplexing. Admittedly there had been other times in her life  
when she lived by impulse and instinct but they were few and  
far between. She changed her clothes and pottered around her   
quarters for a short while, digging out her oil burners and  
candles so she could obtain the atmosphere she wanted to enable  
her to think hard and clearly. She had never liked the term  
'meditation' for what she was about to do as it smacked too much  
of esoterica and ritual for her liking and she just regarded it  
as the most practical way to sort out a tangled mind. Ritual  
did have a place but as far as Siannon was concerned it was not  
while she was trying to think. With the lights dimmed, the  
candles in their stands and glass bowls of water providing the  
only light and the aroma of exotic oils permeating the air she  
felt ready to try and organise her thoughts. Settling down into  
the cushions on the floor she pulled her smallest harp into her  
lap and began to play, letting her mind roam free.

 

Meanwhile Harry, after having sought the refuge of his quarters,  
had chased the same thoughts around and around his brain for  
some time. After an hour or so they had coalesced into a form  
of coherency that amounted to two questions. Did he believe   
Siannon and her concept that he was a reincarnated soul and did  
he want to explore this knowledge more fully with her. He had  
to conclude that the answers to both these questions was a  
resounding yes. The memory of Siannon's eyes and what he had  
seen in them was too close to the surface of his thoughts to  
let him decide otherwise. Once that was resolved he wanted to  
act immediately, before he lost his nerve.

"Computer: location of Siannon O'Niall."

"Siannon O'Niall is in her quarters."

"Is she alone?"

"Affirmative." Harry was paralysed with indecision for about  
thirty seconds before he made up his mind.&lt;..Better get this  
over with sooner rather than later..&gt;

 

He stood outside Siannon's quarters, still unsure whether he  
could go through with it. Feeling like he was taking his life  
in his hands he pressed the chime.

"Come in." Taking a deep, fortifying breath he stepped over the  
threshold and entered another world. The door swooshed shut  
behind him, cutting off the light from the corridor, leaving  
the warm , flickering light from the myriad candles as the only   
illumination. Harry remained where he was, still and silent,  
mesmerised by the scene in front of him. Siannon sat amongst  
her heap of cushions like a queen at the centre of her  
realm.&lt;..She's beautiful..&gt; The thought took him aback slightly  
so he let his eyes settle on her for a while until he realised  
he was staring. He decided it was the play of light and colour  
that made her beautiful rather than just attractive in the  
lithe, lean limbed way she shared with B'Elanna. The candle  
light brought out the copper lights in her dark brown hair  
where it lay in tumbled curls down her back and lent a golden   
glow to the porcelain pale skin. Bringing his mind back to  
attention he realised that Siannon was watching him, waiting  
for him to say or do something. He took another step into the  
room, drawing a deep lungful of scented air.

"You look... different somehow," he said trying to explain his  
reaction. Siannon gave him a soft smile.

"It's the candles. Candle light is so much more complementary  
to a woman, it's softer. If you saw B'Elanna by candle light  
you'd probably stare at her too."

"I guess I would. Why all the candles anyway, even Tuvok  
doesn't use this many. And what is it that smells so good?"

"I needed to think about this afternoon before I saw you. All  
this," she gestured around her quarters, "helps promote a  
conducive atmosphere for thought. Well it does for me anyhow...  
and the smell, that's Frankincense, Vetiver, Melissa and  
Sandalwood, I use oil burners."

"Sounds as exotic as it smells." Harry had relaxed marginally  
and moved nearer, eyeing the harp she had set aside.

"Would you mind playing something for me?"

"Not at all, but you'll have to sit down first." Harry  
complied, settling on the sofa after he kicked off his boots,  
with his back against the arm, knees drawn up to his chest and  
his head on the backrest Siannon picked up the harp and began to  
play softly.

"What happened there today, Siannon?"

"I'm not really sure. When you started talking about the way I  
relate to you, Tom and B'Elanna, it struck a chord with me and  
I felt I had to prove my trust somehow so I... well I let my  
barriers down, I suppose. I don't usually let anyone see how it   
feels to be as old as I am but sometimes you can't keep it from  
your eyes. Seemed like a good idea at the time...."

"And 'the eyes are the windows of the soul'?"

"Yeah...then just before you turned away I..I.. felt a flare of  
recognition. It's happened to me on a couple of occasions,  
other times, other people and other places, so I knew I'd met  
you before, a hundred years ago or a thousand, it didn't seem to  
matter. When I realised you'd felt it too I just had to ask if  
you believed it was possible. I was right when I said you had  
an old head on your shoulders although more accurately it's an  
old soul. I'm sorry I freaked you out, I didn't mean to." Harry   
sat in silence absorbing this while he listened to the soothing  
notes of the harp. Hugging his legs he leaned forward to rest  
his chin on his knees, regarding Siannon with solemn earth  
brown eyes. He began to speak in a distant voice, not really  
seeing Siannon, just what was in his memory.

 

"I used to have dreams - places I'd never seen, people I didn't  
know. One in particular always stuck with me, I still have it  
occasionally. I'm sitting on a hill looking out over this  
beautiful, green valley, watching a stream sparkle in the  
sunlight, playing the penny whistle. There's someone with me,  
standing behind me, listening, but I'm not nervous, I know  
they're a friend. I feel a hand on my shoulder and a woman's  
voice says 'This was my home' she has an Irish accent. Then she  
points down the valley to a particular spot near the stream..."

"And says 'Just by that little knoll and the grove of trees,  
though it's changed since I was here.'" Siannon had let her  
accent resurface. She stilled her hands on the strings of the  
harp. "I remember, it was about four hundred years ago. The  
first time I'd been back to Ireland in three hundred years. I  
wouldn't have gone on my own, the memories always seemed to  
overwhelm me when I was alone." Harry had gone beyond shock by  
this point, he'd already had too many that day and said with an  
air of resignation,

"Why am I not surprised? I should've guessed it was you but I  
never remembered the woman's face, even if I ever saw it and as  
you don't speak with an Irish accent anymore, I didn't recognise  
your voice." He paused, lost momentarily in other memories.

"It's funny but that dream was what prompted me to agree to  
Niamh teaching me the penny whistle in the first place. I  
remember she always said I had a natural aptitude for it."  
They sat in silence for a while before Harry spoke again. "Do  
you remember the name I had then?"

"Sure I do, just let me think . . ." she closed her eyes  
briefly, "Steven Kelly."

"Steven? Hey that's my second name. Oh this is too weird."

"You did ask."

"I know. Do you think I'll remember more?"

"From Steven's life? Maybe. Take notice of your dreams for a  
while, they may tell you more. If you want you can always ask  
me."

"I may take you up on that in the future but I'll pass for  
now." Harry stretched and shifted on the sofa, making himself  
more comfortable. Siannon laid the harp aside again, smiling up  
at him from her position on the floor.

 

"I must admit you've taken all this very well, considering your  
reaction this afternoon."

"You aren't the only one who had time to think this evening. I  
was as nervous as hell before I came in but now? Well, it  
doesn't really matter, it hasn't exactly changed anything has  
it? I'm still Harry Kim, I just have a little more experience  
than I thought I had. To be quite honest I find the thought  
that I've been around before a lot less unsettling than finding  
myself on a Voyager where one of my best friends saw me die.  
Remind me to tell you about it sometime, it was really uncanny.  
Reincarnation isn't a foreign concept anyway, my father's  
family were all Buddhists and my great uncle was a monk.  
Besides, it explains some of the undercurrents I can sense  
between us. Do you think B'Elanna or Tom may've known either of  
us before?"

"I honestly can't tell, but I wouldn't be surprised if you and  
Tom were reaffirming old ties, the link between you is almost  
palpable at times."

"I wondered about that. I had the strangest feeling when I  
first saw him on DS9, sort of an echo of inevitability. Not  
that I paid much attention to it at the time, of course. What  
about you and B'Elanna? I've seen the way you look at her  
sometimes."

"That's completely different, she reminds me of someone back on  
Albion. Here, I'll show you what I mean." She levered herself  
up off the floor to grab a PADD from the desk. Activating it,  
she passed it to Harry before plonking herself next to him on  
the sofa.

"This is Cha'len, we've been friends for most of her life."  
Harry scrolled through the pictures stored on the PADD. The  
hair was longer and darker, the ridges slightly different but  
he could see the similarities in the expression of the fierce  
brown eyes. "They don't really look alike but their  
temperaments are so similar. Cha'len has always reached out to  
grab her opportunities with both hands, creating her own if she  
doesn't like what's being offered, she's intensely practical  
and determined to a fault, won't take 'no' for an answer. For  
instance, she knew who she wanted as a mate from a fairly early  
age but it wasn't until he hit Pon Farr that he acquiesced."

"Pon Farr? A Klingon and a *Vulcan*?"

"Actually Viran is only half Vulcan. With them both being  
hybrids they have more in common than you'd think."

"What about now?"

"Oh, they're still together. Sadly they only had one child,  
K'Parl, but he's great, works in Tactical / Security for  
Freedom Flight." She showed him the last few pictures on the  
PADD, family groups mostly, Cha'len older but still striking,   
both her and Viran obviously proud of their son in his FF  
uniform. "Cha'len taught me one very important thing about half  
Klingons."

"Which was?"

"Expect the unexpected." Harry chuckled fondly.

"Too true, that is just so . . B'Elanna." His expression  
darkened as a thought that he really did not like much occurred  
to him. "I hope you're not just being friendly with B'Elanna  
because she reminds you of home."

"Hell no, whatever gave you that idea? B'Elanna is a truly  
unique and wonderful person and deserves much more than that."  
Harry relaxed muscles he had not realised were tensed up and  
let out an explosive sigh.

"I'm glad we've got that straight, otherwise Tom and I would've  
had to knock some sense into you. B'Elanna is a special person  
and is very important to us both, plus she's a lot more  
vulnerable than anyone thinks. Don't get me wrong, she does the  
scary Klingon act very well but underneath all that she still  
has her human side. I saw it when I first met her on Ocampa and  
Tom has seen her at her most vulnerable when she was captured  
by the Vidiians. I think that's when she started to realise that  
maybe he wasn't a pig after all." Siannon dropped the PADD on  
the floor before tucking her legs up underneath herself and  
half turning towards Harry, who was sprawled comfortably on the  
other half of the sofa.

"He doesn't exactly make it easy for people to get to know him,  
does he?" Harry's exasperated expression spoke volumes about  
his thoughts on that comment.

"Tell me about it!" He groaned. "I swear that the guy's  
pricklier than a Belgarthian cactus at times. A lot of the  
problem is that Tom's past just follows him around like a  
shadow and he lets people believe what they want, however wrong  
they may be about him. God, I'd like to break a few heads, I can  
tell you. No-one really trusts him except the Captain, even  
after what he has done for the ship, they just won't give him a  
chance, no matter how many times he puts his life on the line."  
Harry's manner was fierce, his dark eyes flashing with barely  
concealed wrath.

"Whoa Harry! You're preaching to the converted here, remember."  
Siannon laid a gentle hand on Harry's arm in an effort to calm  
him. He visibly relaxed.

"Sorry." He gave Siannon a wry smile, but a smile none the  
less. "I get so incensed about Tom not being given a fair  
chance, I can't help it. Most people made up their minds about  
him long ago and aren't going to revise their opinions now, even  
while they admit he's the best pilot we've got."

"B'Elanna did." Harry smiled again, this one a little bigger,  
reaching his eyes.

"That's one reason why she's special, she's not afraid to admit  
when she's wrong. The fact that she's an engineering genius is  
beside the point. I have noticed something recently, though."

"Like what?"

"A fair number of people seem to be less hostile toward Tom  
since that night in Sandrine's, maybe because it's the first  
time they've seen him with his defences down." He looked at  
Siannon, his eyes sparkling. "Did you know he propositioned me?"  
The words were out of his mouth before he realised. &lt;..Oops,  
less than ideal choice of words there, Harry..&gt;

"Tom made a pass at you?" Siannon did not even sound surprised.

"As if. No, he wanted to know if I'd play jazz with him. In  
Sandrine's."

"Well why not. I can see it now, 'The Best Jazz Duo in the  
Delta Quadrant'. I'd even do a guest spot for you, I can play  
jazz violin."

"That clinches it, I'll tell him yes. I was a bit unsure about  
agreeing but since it was Tom who was asking. . . well, I  
didn't want to disappoint him."

"I honestly think you'd walk through fire if he asked you to."

"I wouldn't go that far, but yes, he's important to me."  
Siannon unwound herself forcefully, shifting closer to Harry,  
glaring at him vehemently.

"Dagda's Balls! Harry, why won't you admit it?"

"Admit what?"

"That you love him. It's obvious."

"Of course I love him, he's the best friend I've ever had."

"I don't mean that and you know it." Harry looked stricken and  
buried his face in his hands.

"I can't!" He wailed.

"Not even to yourself?" He turned to face Siannon with a hollow  
laugh, there was no humour at all in the sound. That, coupled  
with the haunted expression in his dark eyes, tore at her soul.

"Oh I can admit it to myself all right, but not to Tom. Never  
to Tom."

"Why not?" He grabbed her upper arms, gripping hard enough to  
leave bruises, staring into her eyes heart and soul bared  
completely.

"Have you any idea what they did to him in prison?" Harry was  
anguished, his voice rough with emotion. Siannon blanched.

"You don't mean. . . "

"Oh yes," he said harshly. "That's exactly what I do mean."

"Tom was beaten and. . . and. . .?"

"Raped. Yes." He drew a shuddering breath and let his hands  
drop from Siannon's arms, scrubbing away the tears that had  
come unbidden.

"Oh hell."

"Hell for Tom. The physical scars are all gone but the  
emotional ones are still there. Healing, but still there." He  
wearily rubbed his face again.

"Now do you see why I can't tell him. He needs me more as a  
friend than anything else at the moment. Every day makes New  
Zealand just that little bit further away. Besides, he's in  
love with B'Elanna although *he* won't admit to it. Gods, I  
think *I'm* in love with B'Elanna. It's a fucking minefield."

"And B'Elanna?"

"Loves us both. As friends, no more."

"Shit."

"Life's full of it." Harry sighed, leaning back against the  
cushions and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm not about to  
jeopardise two wonderful friendships for my own gratification."

"Do *either* of them have any inkling how you feel about them?"

"They both know I love them in the platonic sense and B'Elanna  
doubtless knows I fancy her like mad, I mean - she's gorgeous,  
who wouldn't? Above and beyond that, I doubt it. Tom certainly  
doesn't and B'Elanna probably thinks I'm sweet for not saying  
anything if she does. Sweet! " He shrugged. "I don't think  
she'd take me seriously if I did say anything, she still thinks  
of me as a kid. Mind you, I don't exactly convince her otherwise  
when I come out with comments like the other night in  
Sandrine's."

"Comments? Oh I remember. Hey, don't worry about that, this old  
lady *likes* being told she looks good. Thanks for the  
compliment." Harry reached up to touch her cheek.

"You know Siannon, you're an amazing woman. You're kind,  
beautiful and you've just taken all my emotional baggage on  
board without turning a hair. If I can ever do the same for  
you...."

"I know where to come." She took his hand from her face and  
kissed his fingertips.

"Don't be so hard on yourself Harry, you're a wonderfully  
generous and open hearted person. There aren't that many people  
who can cope with loving more than one person at a time. In  
fact, if there's room for one more in there, I'd be interested  
in reserving a place."

"It's yours already." They sat in silence for a moment looking  
down at their linked hands.

"So what do we do now?"

"Carry on as usual, I suppose. I've still got to hide my  
feelings, though I know it's going to be much easier now I can  
share them with you. There've been times in the last few weeks   
when I thought I was going to explode. Still, life must go on."

"You can start up your jazz duo."

"And you can thoroughly scandalise the Doctor." They both  
grinned at each other.

"I think we'll manage." Siannon remarked. Harry removed his  
hands from Siannon's loose clasp and ruffled his hair again  
before placing them both in his lap and staring at them.

"We could be more than friends," he breathed. Siannon couldn't  
help but stare at the bent head, ebony hair flopping into  
velvet brown eyes, when she heard the whispered suggestion. A  
cold knot that had been tangled at the centre of her being for  
too long began to unravel. &lt;..Oh Harry, you lovely man..&gt;She  
could not remember the last time anyone had offered themselves  
so utterly to her, to assuage a mutual need for deeper   
companionship.

"Maybe," was all she said, with a tender smile and a world of  
possibility in her voice. Harry's answering smile was luminous,  
lighting up his whole face with its brilliance.

"That's all I can ask. Thank you for giving me that much."  
Siannon was at a loss for words and just stared at him. "I'd  
better leave," he declared. "I think enough has been said   
tonight, don't you?" She at last found her voice, which sounded  
a bit strange to her ears.

"I think you maybe right." He stood up to go and had actually  
taken a couple of steps toward the door before he turned back  
with deceptive swiftness to gently cup her face in his hands.

"You are remarkable, Siannon. Goodnight." He tentatively  
brushed her lips with his own and with that he was gone.

 

&lt;..Oh Blessed Danu, what am I doing?..&gt; Siannon's brain had gone  
into full emotional overload and a traitorous little voice at  
the back of her mind kept on answering her 'falling in love,  
falling in love' She resolutely ignored it.&lt;..I'm too old for  
this..&gt; was her last desperate thought before deciding that  
sleep was probably the best method for sorting out what had  
transpired that evening. She carefully kept her mind blank   
while she got ready for bed, performing the little tasks of  
blowing out the candles and such with mindless enthusiasm,  
hoping that she did not dream that night.

 

She did not see Harry the next day, for which she was shamefully  
glad but she did see Tom. She had not been good company all day  
for her dreams the previous night had been disturbing to say  
the least. Consequently she had kept herself immured in sickbay  
for the whole shift, except for a brief foray to the mess hall  
when she knew no-one else was there. At shift end the Doctor  
switched himself off and Kes left, leaving her alone to finish  
what she was doing. It was at this point that Tom arrived to see  
her. Siannon was not best pleased by the turn in events.

 

"Is this really important Tom, I'm sort of busy." Taken somewhat  
aback by her brusque tone Tom watched her appraisingly for a  
while through narrowed, thoughtful eyes.

"*I* think it is but looking at you, I'm not so sure."

"Spit it out Tom, I'm not in the mood for games." &lt;..No  
shit!..&gt;Tom took a deep breath.

"I had come down to thank you for speaking to Harry but now I'm  
thinking *you* need to speak to someone." He perched on one of  
the bio-beds watching Siannon work.

"What do you mean."

"Look at you! You're jumpy, you're annoyed and you're avoiding  
us."

"So?"

"It's not like you."

"For God's sake you've known me less than a week, how can you  
say that."

"I just did and I'll say it again. You are not your usual self.  
*I* know it and I'm sure *you* know it. Now what did you and  
Harry say to each other?" Siannon glowered at him from across  
the room. Tom suppressed a shiver.&lt;..If looks could kill...&gt;

"You're fishing again, Tom." Her voice was cold enough to  
freeze hell.

"So I am. I was just curious. Yesterday Harry was so  
distracted he barely made it through his shift and today he's  
so calm he's almost *serene*. Its obscene. He's worse than  
Chakotay is usually and that's saying something." When Siannon  
carried on what she was doing without acknowledging she had  
even heard him Tom decided on a change of tack. "He didn't  
declare his undying Love for you did he?"&lt;..Aha, a reaction..&gt;  
He watched as Siannon's head flew up like a startled deers'.  
She spun round to face him.

"What! No don't repeat it, I heard. No he didn't. Okay, you've  
got my attention now, fire away." Tom gave her a cheeky,  
lop-sided grin before his face settled into a more serious  
expression. With unspoken agreement they moved into the office,  
Siannon taking a chair, Tom the desk.

"Like I said, I wanted to thank you. Whatever you two discussed  
last night really helped Harry." He raised a hand to stall  
Siannon's interruption. "No, hear me out. I don't really want  
to know what you said, its none of my business. . ." She  
regarded him warily. &lt;..If only you knew, Tom..&gt; ". . but  
whatever good it did Harry, it certainly didn't help you.  
You're wound up so tight you're almost ready to snap."

"That's my problem."

"No it isn't."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard."

"Oh please, tell me why it *isn't* my problem." Siannon's voice  
dripped venom.

"It's *our* problem."

"Now how do you arrive at *that* amazing conclusion?"

"Siannon."

"What?"

"Be nice."

"Tom. . . ."

"Okay, okay. Look at it this way. You and Harry have this major  
heart to heart. Next day he feels great, you feel like shit. If  
he sees you like this we'll be worse off than before. As it was  
me who asked you to help Harry I'd like to help you, if I can."

"I don't think there's an awful lot you can do." Siannon  
sounded resigned. All the nervous tension was starting to drain  
away, leaving her feeling strangely boneless.

"I can try. You know what I think?"

"No. What?"

"Bad night."

"Come again?"

"I've been on the receiving end of enough nightmares what with  
Caldick Prime and prison to recognise the effects in someone  
else. Am I right?" Tom's cerulean gaze bored into Siannon with  
burning intensity.

"Yes." It was a whisper of sound, no more. &lt;..I don't know if  
this is a good idea..&gt; Throwing caution to the wind, she  
plunged on. "We went over a lot of things last night, me and  
Harry. I didn't sleep well, the discussion brought up too many  
memories. When I did get to sleep the dreams started and I. . .  
and. . ." she broke off with a shuddering breath turning  
tormented eyes to Tom. "I don't want to be alone any more!" She  
buried her face in her hands and began to shake with the force  
of the sobs being torn from her.

Tom slid off the desk to envelop her in a hug, stroking her  
hair as she wept into his uniform. Dropping a kiss onto the top  
of her head he said in the gentlest voice she had heard from  
him yet,

"While you have us Siannon, you'll never be alone." He was not  
entirely sure what he meant by the statement but it sounded  
right and felt right so he decided his convoluted subconscious  
knew what it was on about even if his conscious mind did not.  
Siannon's sobs decreased in intensity fairly quickly and she  
glanced up at Tom's concerned face with red-rimmed eyes as she  
snuffled back the last of her tears. He gently wiped the tears  
from her face with careful fingers. "You know what I find the  
best way to deal with dream demons?" She shook her head, not  
trusting her voice yet. "Get onto the holodeck and beat shit  
out of something. Either that or do something cathartic."  
Siannon managed to find her voice.

"That. . that's when you play the piano?" She croaked.

"Guilty as charged. Play the piano, shoot pool, run flight  
sims, hell I've even tried B'Elanna's 'relaxing' Klingon  
programs. It all helps. Most of the time."

"Is anyone there for you when it doesn't?"

"Guess."

"Harry?"

"The one and only. Sometimes I try to deal with it on my own  
but I usually end up in a worse state than you. I even ended up  
in sickbay once. Then Harry just gives me this *look* that says  
'don't you trust me' so I go back to disturbing him again. The  
thing is, I feel really guilty about it, the guy could do  
without his sleep being interrupted by his fucked up friend and  
what does he get, 'Sorry Harry but I can't deal with this on my  
own' but he never complains or sends me away. He's actually   
hurt if I *don't* wake him up. He's so good to me Siannon, I  
don't deserve such loyalty and I've no idea what I've done to  
earn it."

&lt;..Oh Tom, it's obvious. he loves you..&gt; Aloud she said,

"Tell you what, Tom."

"Go on."

"We can share our shitty nights. I don't need that much sleep  
even at the best of times so feel free to come and get me  
whenever and I can always check in with you if needs be. Deal?"

"Deal. Could be just the thing I need, a mutual assistance  
pact. Have you finished in here yet?" He indicated the sickbay.

"Just about, I have a couple more things to do."

"Want some help?"

"Why not. According to all accounts you know your way around  
here pretty well." She offered her hand to Tom who pulled her  
up out of the chair into a close embrace.

"Think you'll be okay now, Siannon?" He said into her hair,  
revelling in the feel of it against his cheek and the faint  
aroma of oranges that still lingered from her shampoo.

"Mmm, yes I will. Although if you don't let go of me I'll never  
get finished." She hugged him back and kissed him softly on the  
cheek to take the sting out of her words.

 

They had soon finished in sickbay and made their way to the  
turbo lift.

"Any plans for this evening?"

"I was thinking of looking up B'Elanna, see if she'll abandon  
the warp core for one night, I need to unwind a bit." She gave  
Tom a rueful grin, "I've been a bit tense today."

"Oho - the rematch, I presume? So what have you got up your  
sleeve?"

"That would be telling, but its not what you'd expect."

"I'm intrigued." They entered the turbo lift together,  
requesting different destinations.

"What are you getting up to?"

"Harry and me have something planned for when he comes off  
duty, a little project we're working on. It's still in its  
infancy at the moment but you'll find out soon enough."

"It wouldn't be anything *musical* would it?" Tom looked  
disappointed that she knew that much.

"What did Harry say?"

"It was mentioned in passing, no more."

"Good. I want to surprise you." Tom said as she exited the  
lift. Siannon called back to him,

"Don't worry, I think you'll manage that."

 

Siannon called B'Elanna once she was back in her quarters.

"O'Niall to Torres."

"Torres here."

"B'Elanna, have you anything planned for this evening?"

"No, why?"

"I was thinking you might want to unwind a little."

"Payback?"

"Payback. Well?"

"You're on. I've actually got two hours booked on holodeck four  
in. . . thirty minutes."

"I'll see you there. Oh by the way, make sure you wear  
something comfortable. O'Niall out."

Siannon grabbed herself a quick protein shake to drink while  
she sorted through her collection of holoprograms. Once she had  
found the one she wanted, labelled innocuously enough 'O'Niall  
beta 2', she couldn't help the evil grin that spread over her  
face. &lt;B'elanna, are you in for a surprise..&gt; She changed out  
of her uniform, chortling continuously as she selected what she  
was going to wear. &lt;Hair needs to be down, I think..&gt; She  
unwound the plait and dragged a brush through her unruly curls  
before pulling on her dress and fastening her shoes.

 

Ten minutes later she was at holodeck four installing the  
program, ready for B'Elanna's arrival. She had also booked an  
extra hour of holodeck time. Once she was satisfied she had the  
program running she entered the holodeck to be met by a chorus  
of greetings.

"Hola Siannon, what can we do for you tonight?"

"Hola Juan, Maria. I need to unwind a bit, a little music, a  
little dancing. You know."

"Only too well."

"In fact I've invited a friend, B'Elanna, she should be here  
soon. Will you show her in if I go through now?"

"But of course. I will wait here while Juan gets you a drink.  
Go now, Mateo is already out back, you join him." Siannon made  
her way through the bar to the wooden terrace at the back,  
overlooking the garden. Soft guitar music merged with the  
chirping of numerous insects as the smell of Jasmine and Thyme  
wafted on the breeze. As she stepped onto the terrace, the  
music stopped.

"Siannon! It has been a long time."

"Too long, Mat. Play for me, I want to dance."

 

When B'Elanna entered sometime later she stood dumbstruck for a  
minute. &lt;..Another Goddamn bar? What is it about bars?..&gt; Then  
she realised someone was talking to her.

"And you must be Siannon's friend, she said to expect you.  
Come, I will show you through." B'Elanna followed the petite  
Spanish woman in a partial daze.

&lt;..Just what the hell is going on here?..&gt;She began to get an  
answer when they drew nearer the back of the bar and she could  
hear the music carried in from the terrace. &lt;..Flamenco?..&gt; It  
was a style of music her father had enjoyed, all those years  
ago. She was still somewhat puzzled until they emerged onto the  
terrace where she was greeted by a totally unexpected sight.  
Siannon was dancing with abandon, feet stamping, hair flying,   
to the music being played by the other occupant of the terrace.

"Mateo, my son.." Said the little woman proudly. "He plays  
quite well, yes?"

"Er yes. I didn't know Siannon danced."

"Oh yes, my parents taught her."

"They did a good job." The Spanish woman dimpled prettily.

"Thank you. I will leave you now. Juan will bring drinks soon,  
call if you want anything else." B'Elanna watched in silence  
until the dance finished.

"That looks fun," she commented once Siannon was still.

"Oh it is. And it's a great tension reliever, all that  
stamping, I think. You want to learn?"

"This is how you unwind?"

"Yes. Now do you want to learn?"

"Definitely."

 

B'Elanna took to the dancing like a duck to water and really  
enjoyed herself. At the end of their holodeck time Siannon  
could not help but stare at her.&lt;..Dear Lord, she's a natural.  
Such unbridled passion in the dance. Oh my stars..&gt; The half   
Klingon woman was dancing like she had been learning for years  
rather than hours, with such fervour that it was almost  
embarrassing to watch. When it was time to go they said their  
thank yous to Mateo, Maria and Juan before exiting the program  
while Siannon saved it, pocketing the disk on her way out.

"Well, did you like it?"

"Like it? It was wonderful, I feel amazing! Thank you Siannon."  
She grabbed Siannon in a bone crushing hug and whirled her  
round, much to the consternation of two passing crew members.   
"Can we do it again sometime?" B'Elanna's eyes were bright with  
enthusiasm.

"Sure we can. You wait until you dance with a partner, it's  
even better. Now I don't know about you but I'm fit to drop.  
Coming?"

"No, I want to check up on something in engineering first. See  
you tomorrow." With that B'Elanna sashayed off in the direction  
of engineering, humming to herself and executing the odd  
clicking stamp as she went.

 

Siannon's rest was untroubled by dreams that night, about which  
she was heartily relieved. Even so, she woke feeling tired and  
sluggish, thanks to the previous days emotional wringing.   
After a hot shower with her citrusy 'wake up' products, she   
felt almost human, by the time she made it to the mess hall she  
was ready to face the world. Tom and Harry were waiting in line  
before her, having a low voiced but intense discussion. neither  
noticed her coming up behind them so she impulsively threw an  
arm around each of them, giving them both an enthusiastic kiss.

"Morning Harry, Tom." She said brightly as they both let out  
almost identical squawks of surprise. Tom, predictably,  
recovered the use of his mouth first.

"Morning Siannon. Slept well, I presume?"

"Like a log. What's for breakfast?" Harry, who had been peering  
at the food with great deliberation spoke up.

"I'm not sure, but it smells quite good. At least it's not  
moving." He gave Siannon a shy grin. "You feeling okay today?"  
She smiled back at him warmly, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

"I'm fine, thanks for being concerned. I'm sorry for avoiding  
you yesterday but..."

"Don't worry, that's old news. Tom explained. So, how did your  
session with B'Elanna go?"

"Great. Better than I expected actually." Tom leered at her.

"Ooh, tell me more. Details, I want details." Harry whacked him  
gently on the back of the head, grinning.

"Ask B'Elanna when she arrives, imbecile." They sat down  
together ignoring the furtive glances being cast in their  
direction and attacked their food. A short while later B'Elanna  
swept in, her whole demeanour radiant.

"Wow." Said Harry.

"What did you two *do* last night?" Tom asked Siannon.

"Not my place to say. Now get your mind out of the gutter,  
Tom." Siannon's eyes were twinkling with delight, she could not  
have hoped for a better reaction.

"Hi guys!" B'Elanna announced cheerfully, plunking her tray  
down and joining them at the table, oblivious to the interested  
stares of Harry and Tom. She tucked into breakfast with obvious  
relish.

"Mmm, this is good." She then actually paid some attention to  
the slightly glazed expressions of her two male companions.

"Guys?" It was Harry who plucked up the courage to ask.

"B'Elanna, you've got to put us out of our misery, Just what  
were you two *doing* on the holodeck last night?"

"Dancing." She said succinctly.

"Dancing?!" Tom and Harry chorused. Siannon howled with  
laughter at their thunderstruck expressions. Heads began  
turning in their direction.

"Yeah, dancing. You know." She glared at Siannon to get her to  
shut up.

"Oh. Any chance of a demonstration?" Tom grinned ingeniously at  
her. B'Elanna stared at him.

"In the mess hall?" Tom nodded. "Now?" Another nod. He gave her  
his best 'flyboy' grin.

"Dare you." was all he said.

"Oh what the hell, I must be mad. Siannon?" Siannon grinned as  
B'Elanna stood up and she began to clap out a rhythm. It was  
something they had practised the night before so B'Elanna felt  
confident of pulling it off. She began to dance.

 

Tom and Harry were not the only people whose eyes were almost  
popping out of their heads at the sight of B'Elanna Torres,  
fierce, half Klingon chief engineer, dancing in the mess hall  
at breakfast.

"Flamenco?" Harry was the first to find his voice. Siannon  
nodded. "It seems appropriate somehow. It suits her."

"That's what I thought. Well, I think that's enough for now."  
She changed the rhythm of her clapping and B'Elanna brought her  
dance to an end, to meet with tumultuous applause.

Harry spared a glance at Tom and was aghast to see the naked  
emotion on his friend's face. &lt;..Uh - oh..&gt;

"Tom." No response. Louder, "Tom." Still no response. "Tom." He  
nudged him. Tom finally brought his eyes to bear on Harry.  
"You're going to embarrass yourself if you're not careful."  
Harry watched the polite, affable mask settle down over Tom's  
features with a twist of pain, knowing Tom would probably never  
look like that at him. &lt;..No place for wishful thinking, Harry.  
Be glad he's your friend..&gt; He turned away to find himself  
caught in Siannon's thoughtful gaze. Understanding was there  
and empathy, with an unspoken echo of their words the night   
before last. They shared a heartfelt, knowing glance for a brief  
moment, so much said between them and so much left unsaid,  
before tuning back into reality.

 

The mess hall was in an uproar, B'Elanna was decidedly pink and  
had resumed her seat.

"I don't know how you managed to inveigle me into doing that.  
It's going to be all over the ship by this afternoon."

"You couldn't resist my formidable charm and charisma." Tom  
flinched as B'Elanna kicked him. Hard. "Ow! Sorry B'Elanna, but  
you asked for that. Besides, I'm sure you loved every second of  
the attention." She blushed a shade darker, while Harry watched  
his friends with an amused smile.

"Don't forget Tom, we're having our grand unveiling tonight."  
Siannon's ears pricked with interest.

"Is this what you were working on yesterday evening?" Tom and  
Harry exchanged a glance. Tom grinned.

"Yeah, it is. Sandrine's is in for a little surprise tonight.  
See you in there if not before?"

"Sure you will, I can't wait. B'Elanna and I have some holodeck  
time booked but we'll be in Sandrine's after that."

"In that case we'd better go. Harry?" The two men left for the  
bridge. Siannon nudged B'Elanna.

"I think we'd better make tracks too, before the adoring  
hordes descend." She indicated the people approaching them with  
a slight jerk of her head.

"Good idea." They dumped their trays quickly and beat a hasty  
departure.

 

No-one had time for lunch that afternoon as Voyager had a brush  
with a group of interstellar bandits. The ship itself was not  
badly damaged but there had been quite a few injuries, some of  
them serious, with engineering badly affected. B'Elanna was  
unhurt but was very short staffed in the resulting aftermath so   
Harry went down to engineering to assist while Tom volunteered  
to go down to sickbay, Chakotay taking the helm in the  
meantime. Tom arrived in sickbay to witness a scene of  
controlled chaos. Kes thrust a tricorder and regenerator at him  
immediately he walked through the door.

"Tom. Good, you can deal with the more minor injuries over  
there." She waved him off in the appropriate direction and with  
that promptly ignored him and turned her attention to her next  
patient. Tom, therefore, was in a good position to see Siannon  
in action. He was impressed. She was calm, competent, efficient   
and had an excellent bedside manner.

 

He was even more impressed when a seriously injured crew member  
was beamed in. The Doctor was already involved in surgery so it  
was up to Siannon and Kes. Siannon seemed to step up a gear and  
worked feverishly to save the man. He heard her muttering under  
her breath but it wasn't until he moved to his next patient   
that he realised she was cursing. Continuously. He recognised a  
mixture of non-standard languages like Italian and Spanish, but  
most of her curses were unintelligible. Hearing some of the  
more colourful epithets he was glad that was the case. At last  
Tom had finished and there were no more new arrivals. The Doctor  
was now assisting Siannon, who had actually stopped cursing.  
Kes was checking on the status of the remaining patients. She  
noticed Tom and went over to speak to him.

"Thanks for your help, it was much appreciated."

"That's okay, Kes. I do occasionally make use of that field  
medic training." He checked the time. "Look, I'd better get  
back to the bridge. I can report on the situation down here if  
you want."

"Would you? That'd be a real help." She gave him a quick  
briefing before he left.

 

On his return to the bridge he immediately briefed the Captain  
on sickbay's present status and she thanked him for assisting.  
She had been a little surprised when he volunteered. He then  
relieved Chakotay at the helm for the rest of his shift. Harry   
returned to the bridge soon after, reporting that the situation  
in engineering was under control and that there was far less  
damage than had been originally postulated. There were sighs of  
relief all round at that. Once everything appeared to be in  
order Janeway decided a visit to sickbay was appropriate.

 

Siannon, Kes and the Doctor were still on duty, although the  
majority of patients had been discharged by the time Janeway  
arrived. After a quick round of sickbay she disappeared into  
the office with the Doctor.

"So how did your new team member manage today, Doctor."

"Very well indeed. In fact based on her performance today alone  
I would recommend that she be given full medical status and  
rank as you deem appropriate."

"She was that good?" Janeway was surprised.

"Captain, the woman is a natural. She has passed every  
assessment I have set with significant ease and has come up  
with suggestions to solve problems that *I* had not thought of  
at the time. She shows a formidable amount of expertise, has a   
phenomenal knowledge base and great insight. She even shows a  
high development of interpersonal skills."

"You were impressed today, I take it?"

"Very much so. In fact I have only one complaint."

"Which is?"

"She is absolutely foul mouthed in crisis situations."

"I beg your pardon?"

"She swears. She curses. She imprecates the Almighty. All in  
non standard languages I must admit, the major portion of which  
do not appear to be programmed into the universal translator,  
but even so it was a trifle. . . distracting." Janeway   
suppressed the smile that was threatening to break out.

"Do you want me to speak to her?"

"Not about that specifically, she stopped when I informed her  
that I did not deem her use of such language to be appropriate  
in a medical situation."

"Otherwise?"

"I have no complaints about her performance."

"Thank you for your assessment, Doctor. Do you feel the rank of  
Lieutenant junior grade would be suitable in this instance?"

"For someone with her skills, most definitely."

"It has come to my notice that you still do not have official  
rank. Does that bother you?"

"Not at all. As chief medical officer on board this ship I  
technically outrank you all, even you, Captain."

"I see."

"Tell me Captain, is it true what I have heard about Siannon  
being a qualified pilot and Operations officer in addition to  
her medical skills?"

"Yes, but I fail to see the relevance. . ."

"It's amazing, don't you think, how much knowledge a carefully  
trained mind can hold when you have the advantage of time."

"It is quite remarkable. I remember Siannon saying she had an  
eidetic memory, must be very useful when you live for  
millennia."

"Quite."

"Well, Doctor, I must be going. Keep up the good work and try  
not to let Siannon drive you to complete distraction. I think  
we will let her know of our decisions tomorrow, if that meets  
with your approval."

"Of course, I see no problem with that." With a smile and a nod  
to Siannon and Kes Janeway departed. The Doctor dismissed them  
shortly afterwards.

 

Siannon resolved that getting fed first was the order of the day  
and made her way to the mess hall. The dinnertime rush would  
not begin for an hour or so and Neelix was happy to oblige. He  
sat and chatted to her while she ate, providing a perfect foil   
for the strangely coloured food. Back in her quarters she  
decided to grab an hour or so of sleep, knowing that she was  
likely to have a late night what with holodeck time with  
B'Elanna and the planned visit to Sandrine's for Tom and Harry's  
'surprise'. When she woke up she checked with B'Elanna to see  
if she was able to make it to the holodeck and had to smile at  
her reaction.

"Make it? Of course I'll make it. Wouldn't miss it for the  
world." True to her word B'Elanna met Siannon at holodeck four  
in perfect time. When Siannon caught sight of her she let out a  
whistle of appreciation. B'Elanna looked absolutely stunning in   
a sleeveless, wine coloured dress that whispered and clung when  
she moved.

"You know," she said matter of factly, "I don't think I've seen  
you in a dress before."

"There's a first time for every thing. Dancing in pants just  
didn't seem *right*."

"Know what you mean. I hope you realise you'll cause a major  
stir, going to Sandrine's like that."

"So what." They entered the holodeck together.

 

As they made their way to Sandrine's later they met a few  
people, one crewman being stupid enough to make a lascivious  
comment to B'Elanna. She was quite restrained and only decked  
him hard enough to bruise his dignity although she did warn him  
to keep out of her way in the future. Tom and Harry were already  
in Sandrine's when they arrived, in a huddle by the bar. Harry  
caught sight of the two women first, eyes widening in  
admiration though he actually did not say anything, just  
elbowed Tom to get his attention. Tom turned round to see what   
was the problem and his jaw nearly hit the floor as he saw the  
two women.

"Veeery nice," he commented casting appreciative eyes over  
Siannon and B'Elanna.

"Watch it, Paris," B'Elanna threatened, glaring at him. Siannon  
grinned at his reaction.

"Seriously, I would if I was you," she said, "She's already  
decked one man tonight."

"Oh." Tom had the grace to look somewhat abashed. Siannon  
peered around him to see Harry clutching onto the bar for dear  
life, weak with laughter.

"Sorry," he gasped, "That was just so. . . so. . " he waved a  
hand helplessly as another paroxysm overtook him.

"Thanks Harry." Tom grumbled, trying his hardest to glare at  
his hysterical friend and not succeeding. "Why don't we sit  
down. if you've *quite* finished, that is." He said pointedly.  
They found a table in one corner without too much difficulty,  
Siannon and Tom staking their claim while Harry and B'Elanna  
went to get drinks.

 

"So when's this big surprise?"

"Whenever we want. We've got quite a good spot here, nice and  
unobtrusive. I think we'll manage to do 'subtle surprise' quite  
well."

"Tom, what on earth are you on about?"

"Remember our 'Ceilidh' night?"

"How could I forget."

"Well tonight is going to be jazz night, courtesy of me and  
clarinet virtuoso Harry Kim, only much less *obvious*." Tom  
gave Siannon a conspiratorial grin and whispered, "But I think  
you knew already, didn't you?"

"Well. Er."

"It doesn't matter." They sat and stared at each other for a  
minute, green eyes meeting blue.

"Can I ask you something, Tom?"

"Sure."

"When I first arrived on Voyager you were very. . um. . *cagey*  
about being able to play. Why the big change?"

"I realised it didn't really matter, plus that night I  
remembered what fun it was to play *with* someone, rather than  
alone. Oh and Harry asked me to so..." Tom shrugged. "I mean  
jazz in Sandrine's was my idea but it was Harry's idea to play  
together in the first place. I rather like it actually." Tom  
flushed slightly at that. Siannon snorted.

"Gods above, Tom. You look like the proverbial kid caught with  
the cookie jar." The other two arrived with the drinks just  
then and B'Elanna gave Tom and odd look.

"Tom, you're blushing." That made him blush even more,  
especially when he saw the huge grin she was wearing.

"Getting your own back, hey B'Elanna?"

"A little. Don't forget, you deserve more. A lot more." Behind  
B'Elanna's back Siannon got Harry's attention.

"Have you got your clarinet?" She hissed at him. He nodded  
toward Sandrine.

"She'll bring it over in a minute. For a hologram she sure has  
strong opinions, says jazz is infinitely preferable to ceilidh  
music." Sandrine obliged when they had been sitting there for a  
while.

"I am waiting with baited breath, mes enfants," she said when  
she gave Harry his clarinet, before sidling back to the bar.  
Tom and Harry exchanged glances.

"Well?"

"The place is filling up."

"Another ten minutes?"

"Yeah, that should do it."

 

Ten minutes later Siannon and B'Elanna moved their chairs back  
slightly while Tom issued a few low voiced commands. The piano  
appeared again, this time in the corner where their table had  
been.

"Ready Harry?" Harry nodded, readying his clarinet and they  
started to play, slower pieces at first, until one person after  
another realised it was 'live' music and not just another  
subroutine. Someone called out a request for 'When the Saints go  
Marching In' and that was it. Requests flew in thick and fast,  
most of which Tom and Harry obliged until they had to stop  
playing, pleading exhaustion.

 

Siannon watched them carefully while they played. &lt;..Damn me,  
but they go well together..&gt; She didn't know if they would  
ever acknowledge what was between them but she was convinced   
that the feelings Harry had for Tom were actually reciprocated  
but at a deeper level than Tom was aware. B'Elanna interrupted  
her musings by unconsciously echoing her thought.

"Don't you think they'd make a good couple?" She said in a  
dreamy voice.

"Actually, I do, but I don't think it's going to happen. Harry  
won't push and Tom..."

"Is dense."

"B'Elanna!"

"Well it's true. He's so busy looking at other people he can't  
see what's under his nose. Oh I know it's not as simple as  
that, I know Tom has a 'past' but even so..." Her voice trailed  
off and she sighed. No more was said on the matter that night.  
They just listened and watched with the rest of Sandrine's.

 

"Think everyone liked our surprise?" Tom was tired, but  
triumphant and so happy he was almost glowing. The piano had  
gone, leaving the four of them sitting at their corner table.  
Many people had already stopped by to comment favourably on the  
night's music.

"Judging by the number of people who've come over saying just  
that, I would have to say yes. I know me and B'Elanna did, in  
fact I didn't expect you to be quite so good."

"Siannon, I'm wounded." He made a big show of clutching his  
chest trying to look hurt and noble while Harry laughed at him.  
They were still chuckling when the Captain and Chakotay came  
over, both of them grinning. Janeway leaned on the table.

"I must admit gentlemen, that when I heard the words 'surprise'  
and 'Tom Paris' mentioned together I certainly didn't think of  
this. This is the second time in a week you have had me  
astounded, not bad going." She looked at Chakotay over her  
shoulder. "I think the rest of the ship is going to have to try  
hard to catch up. I always have liked surprises, pleasant ones  
of course." She patted both men on the shoulder and left.   
Chakotay was still smiling.

"I think she means it you know," he said conversationally.

"About what?" B'Elanna gave him a quizzical glance.

"About surprises." Tom took one look at Chakotay's grinning  
face.

"Don't look at us, I think we've supplied enough this week,  
don't you Harry?"

"Oh definitely." He looked up at Chakotay, eyes glimmering with  
humour, "Maybe the Commander could oblige, though."

"I might just do that."

"We'll look forward to it." With that, Chakotay wished them a  
goodnight and left. Sandrine's had mostly emptied out and  
Siannon was unsuccessfully trying hard not to yawn. After a  
couple of minutes of this she announced to them all.

"I'm absolutely shattered, had a hell of a busy day. I'm away  
to my bed I'm afraid. Goodnight people."

"'Night Siannon." She received a hug and a kiss off all of them  
before she left.

 

Walking back to her quarters she reflected in how much her life  
had changed. Tomorrow, it would be week since she had arrived  
on Voyager and everything in her life had been turned upside  
down. She found it hard to believe she was back in the medical  
profession and loving it. Even more remarkable was the fact  
that after decades, maybe centuries, of only letting other  
immortals close she now had three very special, very different   
and very mortal people firmly emplaced in her heart, with every  
hope that she had a place in theirs. &lt;..Amazing what can change  
in a week, have to see what the next one brings..&gt; With that  
thought uppermost in her mind she found herself outside her  
quarters. No longer just a place to stay but home in the truest  
sense of the word.

 

Three days later.

 

"Captain's personal log.

'It has been just over a week since Siannon O'Niall  
unexpectedly joined this crew. What I said about her being a  
stone thrown into our pool has been eerily prophetic, she   
certainly has caused ripples throughout the ship. It is most  
obvious in her relationship with Tom Paris, Harry Kim and  
B'Elanna Torres. Those four seem to share something profound,   
beyond the bounds of normal friendship that may or may not  
develop further. I, for one, will be interested to see which  
direction it takes from this point on.

In other ways she seems to have touched everyone to a degree:  
the Doctor is scandalised by her, but impressed despite  
himself, Kes is utterly fascinated, Tuvok is uncomfortable.   
Uncomfortable! I swear that Siannon must have taken lessons in  
how to get under a Vulcan's skin, she takes a perverse delight  
in strangling him with his own logic, it's an absolute joy to  
watch. Even Neelix's cooking seems to have improved.

The thing that has startled me most is the way she appears to  
bring out the unexpected in people. I only need to glance  
around the ship to see... the Delaney sisters seem to have   
settled with *Geron* of all people, rather than eating him  
alive, and everyone seems to be developing hitherto unknown  
talents - O'Sullivan, Hersching, Connolly and Heaney are now   
playing regularly together, aided and abetted by a handful of  
others at times, B'Elanna is learning to *dance* (I wish I had  
been in the mess hall that morning), Tom and Harry have become  
the most wanted jazz duo in the delta quadrant and most  
surprising of all was hearing Chakotay *sing* last night. I  
never knew he could and he's actually quite good. Wonders will   
never cease. I can see it is time I dragged something up out of  
my past, perhaps the fire-eating...'

 

End personal log."

* * *


End file.
